Refined
by almostwhimsical
Summary: Set after 4x09. AU. Gwen forges a life for herself outside of Camelot's walls. What will she do when she hears of Arthur's life being in danger? Please read and   review. Merlin belongs to the BBC and not to me.
1. Chapter 1

1

Today was her wedding day.

It was supposed to be anyway.

The woods surrounding her appeared as bleak as her mood. Many of the trees had lost their leaves. The sun had hidden itself from view with gray clouds, almost as if the bright light didn't want to witness this day.

This day that love died.

Gwen thought her heart had broken yesterday. She could still hear his words.

"_I don't want to see you…you are banished from Camelot…"_

She could still hear her pleas.

"_I cannot be without you…Where will I go?…"_

It didn't seem real to her.

It didn't seem real that she packed her meager belongings into a cart and left the only home she'd ever known at dawn's first light.

It didn't seem real that all of her friends turned their backs on her. Even her own brother.

She'd never forget the way Elyan looked at her. It was like he hated her.

The only one who came to see her was Merlin. His blue eyes were the only ones that looked at her with some empathy.

Once the lower town heard the news, they too, turned their backs on her. She had no one. It still didn't feel real.

But real it was.

She and Arthur were no longer.

She kissed another and betrayed him.

She was without a home.

Her choice cost her everything.

Lost in her thoughts, Gwen looked up and realized the gray day was changing into night.

Looking around, she realized she didn't know where she was.

It didn't matter.

She was banished.

Finding a tree, Gwen set her cart next to it. Her arms ached from carrying the thing. Sliding down the tree, Gwen put her head on her knees and closed her eyes. Arthur's wounded eyes flashed behind her lids vividly, the hurt in them searing her soul.

It would be a long time before she fell asleep.

The chirp of birds woke her from her fitful rest. Opening her eyes, Gwen took in her surroundings. She was east of Camelot, she realized, near Ealdor. This meant she was in Cenred's lands. Shaking her head, she knew she wanted to be as far away from Camelot's neighboring kingdom as soon as possible. She had no plan other than that.

Picking up her cart, Guinevere walked towards her future.

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King Arthur was a beast. He was curt, surly and impossible to please.

And I, Merlin thought to himself, I have the pleasure of dealing with him.

Merlin blamed himself for the events that transpired over the past week. If only he'd figured it out sooner…Gwen and Arthur would be married now.

He found the bracelet in the dungeon the day his friend left. Sensing the magic in it, Merlin figured the truth out quickly. Gwen was enchanted by the bracelet, which from what he could surmise, held powerful magic. This, he thought to himself as he held the jewelry in his hands, is what caused Gwen to act so out of character.

By instinct he knew Morgana and Agravaine were the source of all of this misery. Proving his instincts to the king, however, was another matter entirely. Arthur wore blinders when it came to his uncle.

Agravaine was the sister of his dead mother, Igraine. Uther and others remembering the late Queen told Arthur that he was like her in many ways, which was true. Arthur, however, wanted to believe that all of his mother's relatives were like Igraine, and this was simply not true.

His uncle and sister had plotted scheme after scheme to overtake Camelot. Merlin, with help had eliminated the threats against the king.

He just didn't see this one coming. And deep down, the warlock worried that this plan could succeed.

Arthur wasn't himself. And he wouldn't be for a long time.

Hopefully it wouldn't be too late. Until then, Merlin thought, Gwen must be protected.

He'd heard Arthur's explanation about not being able to trust her, but what possessed him to send her out, a woman without escort away from everything familiar? The roads were dangerous. The times he'd been attacked surrounded by Camelot's finest knights were too many to mention.

Gwen was alone. Anything could happen to her. And the king, the prat, was too blinded by his pain to see that. He knew Arthur would blame himself if tragedy befell her. Slipping away to his room, the young man spoke a few words. He felt the air shift. Satisfied, he knew the protection spell he placed on his friend was in place. It would keep her safe from harm until she returned.

Looking out the window, Merlin noticed the sun was set. Slipping out of the castle and heading towards an empty field, Merlin called the great dragon to meet him. Soon he felt the distinctive breeze that only happened when Kilgarrah flew in. Once landed, the dragon eyed his dragonlord. Before Merlin could open his mouth, Kilgarrah spoke.

"I told you many years ago, to let the witch die. You failed to heed my words. Morgana will continue to be a thorn in your side for many years to come."

Merlin was silent. He knew what was spoken was true. The dragon continued.

"The true queen is gone. When she returns-"

"She'll be back!" Merlin interrupted with joy. Kilgarrah frowned at being interrupted, and then continued to speak.

"Camelot will appear peaceful for a time, but forces continue to move against her. You must be vigilant, young warlock. You must be ready to fight. When the time comes, a warrior of great heart and strength will help save Camelot. Whether Guinevere stays afterwards will be her choice. Destiny has been altered, and I cannot see if it will be restored."

Merlin mulled over the words spoken. Gwen would become a warrior of great heart and strength? She was so kind and giving. He had a hard time picturing her any other way. Briefly he questioned the accuracy of the dragon's words, but deep down he knew he was right.

" I will do whatever it takes to help Arthur reach his destiny," Merlin said. Looking closely at the dragon's wing, he saw a tiny flash of white. Merlin grinned, his smile lighting up the night.

"Hello little Aithusa," Merlin said softly.

"Hello Emrys," the dragon soft voice spoke the words in his mind.

"How are you?"

"I am well. Be careful." Merlin nodded. Kilgarrah began to prepare to leave.

"Until we meet again, young warlock," The Great Dragon said. Aithusa tightened his hold on the dragon's large wing.

"Until then," Merlin replied. The two dragons flew into the night.

Merlin stood in the field for some time after they left. After collecting his thoughts, he headed back to Camelot as the sun's rays streaked the sky.

He had another task to take care of.

Merlin had to once again, protect his destiny.


	2. Chapter 2

It's a short chapter. The rest will be a bit longer. I don't own Merlin.

2

_Two months later_

Guienvere had traveled quite far. After walking through Cenred's lands, she then was in Mercia. She worked odd jobs here and there, but she didn't feel as if Mercia was the place for her to settle.

Who was she kidding? She missed her home. No place would feel right, she was convinced of that.

But she couldn't go back.

The time on the road of course, gave her too much time to think. After replaying those final days over and over again, she realized that everything went horribly wrong once Lancelot had given her the bracelet.

She felt like herself before and after wearing it.

While wearing it, she felt…so attracted to the resurrected knight. When she first felt the attraction, it felt odd. She'd felt nothing for him in years. At night she was plagued with dreams of him, his laugh, his kind and gentle manner, his smile. The next morning she had to see him, which was why she snuck into his tent.

Seeing Lancelot intensified her attraction. It no longer felt odd. It felt natural.

But when she kissed him, it didn't feel quite right.

Hearing Arthur's roar snapped her back to her senses. In the damp cold cell of the dungeon, she could scarcely believe her actions. Ripping off the offending jewelry was akin to being doused in cold water.

She was awake.

She felt in a bit of a fog while wearing that…_thing_.

She looked talked and outside of her attraction to Lancelot, acted like herself. But her mind…looking back, she saw that she was no longer her clearheaded self.

Which only meant one thing, even though her mind rebelled at the very thought.

That bracelet was enchanted, and it affected her. Nothing else made sense. How could she go from loving Arthur for years, being over Lancelot for years, to suddenly feeling as if she needed the knight more than anything?

The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. And though she had no proof, she had a sinking feeling Arthur's uncle was involved in it somehow.

When she first realized magic was involved, she nearly turned back to her banished homeland.

Several thoughts stopped her. One, she had no proof she was enchanted. But the main thought was that no one stopped to think that she was acting out of character. Not Gaius, not Elyan, nor Merlin. They all believed she was fickle, a woman whose emotions were uncontrolled.

That hurt. It was if no one she called a friend truly knew her at all. A true friend would know something wasn't right. She always had known when things were right with them. The feeling of being friendless kept her away. Why go back to a place where the people you thought cared flaked on you?

Her answer was to keep walking.

Her cart was gone. She sold everything on it and traded for a horse back in Escetia. Her life was simple. She wore a tunic, trousers and boots, leaving her hair in a simple braid. She kept a knife in her boot and her money on her person.

After being in Mercia, she decided to travel to Tintagel. She'd never heard Arthur mention traveling quite that far. She heard that it was a pretty large kingdom, and that King Marche was fair and just. With her mind made up, Guinevere traveled with purpose.

She made great time that day, and she felt quite proud of herself as she made camp for the night. Shaking out her bedroll, she flinched as she felt a sting upon her neck. Numbness spread through her body as she fell to the ground in shock.

_What's happening?_ She thought to herself. She tried to move her limbs, but they felt so heavy. She heard the crunch of several footsteps heading towards her. Guinevere's vision became fuzzy as she saw a cloth move towards her face. She struggled to get away, her body felt so weak.

The cloth was over her nose. Unintentionally, she breathed in.

Her world went black.


	3. Chapter 3

3

The blonde woman sat huddled in the back of the dark cart, surrounded by other women who were stolen from their homes. Their cries were unheeded and ignored. She'd tried calming them down earlier, but it seemed that once one girl became quiet, another would wail. Despite this, she had a job to complete.

Ruark, the slaver had to be taken down.

For far too long, he had abducted women and children to be sold into slavery. He and his workers would raid small villages along the southern border of Tintagel where it met Mercia. The villages were remote, which made it easy for Ruark to do this work. No one got involved until the tale of a young woman who escaped returned and pleaded for King Marche to intervene.

She told a horrific tale of unspeakable acts of men hurting children .Many things were so awful, that it was not fit to be repeated. Many turned a blind eye to slavery, before, but all agreed that no child should ever have to suffer at the hands of depraved men.

Isodole after hearing the tale, wanted to take action. She knew the best way to take Ruark down, was to masquerade as a slave. Tristan, her husband, objected at first, but reluctantly agreed to her plan.

The plan was simple. Get in the cart, set the women free, and slaughter the slavers. Tristan and his fighters were following them. They would attack while the number of women and children were small.

These hysterical women were putting a kink in her plan.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the cart stopped. The door was thrown open and a small figure was thrown inside. The women, six in number so far, looked at the newest victim. Before anyone could touch her, Isodole was there first. She gasped at the sight, the words of Alator returning to her.

"_When you find the fallen woman, bring her back with you,"_

Isodole wondered what he was talking about until now.

The woman was small, with toffee colored skin and a long brown braid. She was beautiful, the older woman noticed, and there was something about her demeanor, despite being unconscious, that was quite sad.

Instinct told her that this was the woman Alator, one of the priests of the Old Religion, wanted her to bring back.

The woman's eyes fluttered, and slowly they opened. Panic filled the young woman's eyes as she tried to see in the dark.

"Wh-Where am I?" Her voice whispered.

"You are in the possession of Ruark, the slaver," Isodole answered. Her pronouncement made the woman shrink even smaller into herself. Isodole continued the cart finally quiet so that all of the women could hear her words, "We aren't staying here."

"You can't mean escape," an older woman cried. "They threatened to-to"

"Harm us," another woman said quietly.

"The king wants to put a stop to this," Isodole said. "Listen, there are people following us who will to help us. We must move quickly before anymore are taken." Reaching into the false bottom of her boot, the woman pulled out a knife. "Give me your hands," she instructed. After removing the ties from the six women, she gently cut away the ropes of the small woman who'd recently joined them. Taking a closer look, Isodole noticed that the woman was unharmed physically. Inwardly she sighed with relief. Waving the other women to her, Isodole outlined the plan.

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Tristan looked on with satisfaction as the last woman was returned to her village. Ruark was defeated. The plan went off without a hitch. Now that part of Tintagel was safe. His uncle, King Marche beefed up his soldiers along that area to ensure such events would not continue.

Tristan looked at his wife. She was on another horse, with another woman riding with her. He had been more than a little surprised that Isodole insisted on bringing her back to Cornwall, their home.

Her reply was that Alator said they were supposed to. Tristan then nodded, knowing that Alator had a reason for such a request. Looking at the quiet woman, he wondered at first if she could speak, but when she softly answered "Gwen", he realized she was just still a bit drugged from what was given to her by Ruark's men. When they invited her to join them, she nodded and followed them. The older man frowned. He'd heard rumors of the women being drugged to make them more pliant and accepting, but seeing it was something startling.

Gwen appeared wooden. Her eyes were dull and flat, and she did everything she was told. Whatever they used took her resistance away. He hoped the effects would leave her body soon.

Soon they were at Cornwall.

Once they had gotten inside, he took the young woman to Alator. Alator looked at her shrewdly and nodded to himself. Reaching around he produced a vial. Handing it to Gwen who was seated on a cot, he said "Drink my lady."

Gwen drank it without question. Soon her eyelids fluttered and she fell asleep on the cot. Tristan and his wife looked at the healer, their slightly raised brows giving away their surprise.

"What I gave her will remove the lingering effects of the drug. When she wakes, she will feel much better."

Tristan and Isodole nodded, and rising, they headed to their room.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated! Last week's epi…I have no words. But it inspired me to write this.


	4. Chapter 4

4

Her eyelids felt heavy. With great effort, she opened them and began to observe her surroundings.

The first thing she realized was that she was in a bed, one far more comfortable than what she was used to sleeping in. Her eyes took note of the tall wooden posts and the sheer curtains around the canopy, each one tied to a post with a large bolt of silky material. Gingerly, her hands felt the sheets she was sleeping on.

They were soft, softer even than the ones used for Morgana. Slowly she sat up, giving the sudden rush of dizziness time to fall away. Leaning against the headboard helped, Gwen realized. Now that she was more comfortable, she looked in the room.

Decadent, Beautiful, Opulent…the room was exquisite. The linens were a beautiful cream color, which accented the golden brown curtains hanging on the window. Looking down, she noticed the thick fur rug. Filled with a desire to walk barefoot on it, Gwen stood, using the posts of the bed for support. Slowly she made it to the rug and sunk her feet in.

It felt wonderful.

She must still be asleep. It had to be a dream. Pinching herself, she quickly realized she was not. Looking down at herself, she realized she was only in a nightdress. Questions began filling her mind.

Where was she?

Where were her clothes?

What was going to happen to her? The last thing she remembered was being in the dark cart.

The door to the room opened, and all thoughts flew from her head.

A young maid walked in, carrying towels. She stopped mid stride when she saw Gwen.

"My lady, you're awake!" She cried. "Oh I must get Lady Isodole!" Before she could leave, a woman entered the room. She was taller than Gwen, with thick blonde hair and sparkling green eyes. The woman was full of energy and moved with such grace. When the lady saw Gwen standing, joy lit her eyes.

"It is good to see you up, Lady Gwen. You've been out of it for the past few days. My name is Isodole. I know we met initially under unusual circumstances. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling better, thank you for asking. It's nice to meet you Lady Isodole." Still feeling a bit overwhelmed, Gwen completely missed the inferences she was a lady.

"Since this is your first day up, why don't we have some food brought to you? You can sit at the window and get a bit of sun."

Gwen shook her head. Bring her food?

"That's too much trouble, milady, in fact"…Gwen paused as she looked around the room, "I can be placed in another room-"

"Nonsense," Isodole said. "Now this is Moira. She will be serving you while you stay with us,"

"What do you mean, serving me?"

Isodole laughed. "Why Gwen, Moira is an excellent handmaid." Understanding hit Gwen like lightning. She had to explain she wasn't a lady, but a servant.

"Lady Isodole, I am not anyone special, I'm just-"

"You're our guest, Gwen, and this is how we treat guests. Now Moira will help you freshen up and change you gown. Food will arrive shortly. Then I think you should rest a bit. We will explain all we know once you are rested. I'll see you later." She left the room before Gwen could say anything, shutting the door behind her.

Gwen stared at the door for several moments, her mind clearing as she processed the events that just occurred.

She was fairly certain she wasn't enslaved. Slaves weren't treated well.

These people thought she was of noble blood. Looking around her room, she knew that there was no way she'd be in such an opulent room otherwise.

For a moment, she wondered what to do. She didn't want to be removed from another place because she wasn't honest. After mulling it over a moment, she realized she'd do as the lady asked. When Lady Isodole returned, she'd explain everything. Looking over to Moira, she saw the servant looking to her for instruction.

_This is strange_ Gwen thought to herself. She never had to tell someone else what to do. Realizing she still felt a bit weak, Gwen figured that asking for help would be a good idea.

"Moira?"

"Yes my lady?"

"Can you help me? I would love to take a bath." The maid nodded.

"Of course I'll help you bathe and change. You'll feel better afterwards."

Having a bit of help was wonderful, Gwen thought. The idea of help was foreign to her, as she was so used to doing things herself. After her bath and change into a fresh nightgown, Gwen ate a little food. After her meal, she realized Isodole was right. She was still tired. Climbing into bed, Gwen closed her eyes. Sleep claimed her easily, and for the first time in a long time, she slept soundly through the night.

When she awoke the next morning, the first thing she noticed as she turned to get out of bed was Isodole.

"Good morning Gwen," she greeted warmly.

Remembering her inner promise to speak the truth, Gwen said "My lady, I must speak to you. It's important."

"We'll talk later. Right now I'd like to give you a brief tour of Cornwall. It'll be good for you to get out and have some fresh air. You've been in this room far too long!" Her smile was huge and friendly.

Her enthusiasm was infectious. Smiling shyly Gwen nodded.

A little later, Gwen was dressed in the finest gown she'd ever worn and walking with Isodole. Cornwall was beautiful. The house was quite large, and the grounds included a mill, a falconry, stables, and training grounds. There were several outside practicing with swords, archery, hand to hand fighting, and other techniques. Gwen was astounded to see women practicing also. Isodole noted Gwen's shocked expression and said, "There are women who choose to train. They are just as capable of fighting as a man. Their strategy has to be different, that's all. I've been training for years."

Gwen turned to her in shock, seeing the feminine woman in her fine gown with new eyes. "You can do that?"

"I can. Knife throwing is my favorite thing to do."

Gwen was silent, astounded by what she heard. It was something else to see women practicing to improve fighting without being patronized by men. Briefly, she remembered arguing with Arthur so long ago about women fighting in Ealdor when they helped Merlin's village. It touched something within her to see it encouraged here. Watching the archery and crossbow, Gwen thought it would be interesting to learn. Isodole saw the interest in her eyes but chose to bring it up later.

"Let's have lunch. I want you to meet my husband, Tristan."

Gwen nodded and they headed into the main house.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Gwen's POV.

5

Tristan was someone Gwen liked immediately. He was tall and broad, with dark blonde hair and blue eyes. He had a very straightforward manner that the young woman appreciated. He welcomed her into their home and told her that she was welcome to stay as long as she liked. Gwen, unused to such open generosity, looked at him and his wife with more than a little shock.

"Lord Tristan-"

"Please call me Tristan and my wife Isodole. We're not much for formality here." Gwen nodded and began speaking again.

"Tristan and Isodole, there is something I must explain. It seems as if you've mistaken me for a lady, and I am the farthest thing from nobility."

Husband and wife exchanged puzzled expressions. After a moment of silence, Isodole spoke.

"Let's all sit and talk. We can go to Tristan's study. It's a bit more private."

Soon the trio was in the study. After seating themselves, Gwen spoke.

"My name is Guinevere Leodegrance and I was born in Camelot. My mother was a maid and my father a blacksmith. I have a brother Elyan, who serves now as a knight of Camelot. My mother died of a fever when I was eleven. Elyan ran off as a teeneager, and for a long time, it was just me and my father."

"In my twelfth year I became a handmaid to the Lady Morgana, ward of Uther Pendragon, who was king of Camelot at the time. For years, I served, content with my life, until my nineteenth year. It was then I realized that I-"Gwen took a steadying breath and looked at her hosts.

"I don't know why I'm telling you all of this. I only meant to say that I wasn't a member of the noble class and should not be in such a fine room."

"It sounds like you have a lot of your mind Guinevere." Tristan said. "It's good to talk it out at times. How did you end up here? Tintagel is quite a distance from your home."

Her heart sank at his question. Still, she had to answer.

"I was banished." The pair sitting across from her said nothing for a moment.

_She's a lovely_ _young woman ,_Isodole thought to herself._ Why would they do such a thing?_ Inwardly the woman frowned to herself. Touching her husband's hand, he squeezed it, and Isodole knew her husband was thinking the same thing.

"Why?" Isodole asked.

Gwen looked at them and restarted her tale.

"A man of noble heart came to Camelot when I was nineteen. His name was Lancelot and he wished to be a knight. Since he was not of the noble class, he was unable to join their ranks. Somehow he had papers made that had a nobility seal. He became a knight. Lancelot was kind and gentle, and we had affection for one another. King Uther found that the papers were forged, and Lancelot was banished.

Time passed, and Prince Arthur wanted to prove he could fight fairly, without favor given to him because he was the prince. Merlin, his servant asked if he could stay with me while he fought in a tournament under an assumed name. I really didn't want him to stay because he was so…spoiled. Merlin convinced me, and he stayed-"

"I hope your father was there." Tristan said.

"My father was dead. He was accused of sorcery and killed by the king," Gwen said.

"Was the Prince dishonorable?"

"No! He was a bit of a prat though. The first night he was there, he took my bed and I ended up sleeping on the floor." Gwen shook her head as a rueful smile twisted her lips at the memory.

"Any way by the next night I hit my breaking point and told him off."

_Good for you_, Isodole thought to herself.

"He apologized and was far nicer to me. We became friends. Over time, we realized we loved each other. It seemed so impossible to me. I mean a Prince and a handmaid? For over two years, we kept our love a secret. Then the king found out, and accused me of enchanting Arthur, because that's the only way someone like a prince could love me." Gwen stopped a moment, and then continued.

"I was sentenced to death."

"WHAT?" Husband and wife yelled at the same time.

"A poultice was found under the prince's pillow with markings of the Old religion. Sorcery is illegal in Camelot. It appeared an old wizard put the poultice there and I was released. However, we still remained silent, waiting for the day Arthur could become king and we could be together."

"But that could take years," Tristan said.

Gwen nodded, deep in thought.

"I love Arthur, and thought he was worth the wait. There was an attempt to take over Camelot by Morgana, the king's ward. Turned out she was Uther's daughter and Arthur's sister. The king wasn't quite the same after that. He was a shell of the man he once was. I cared for him until he died."

"So you're saying that you cared for the man who killed your father and tried to have you killed? For how long?" Isodole asked.

"A little over a year," Gwen answered.

Isodole opened her mouth to speak, but a slight shake of Tristan's head caused her to shut it.

Gwen continued.

"Arthur proposed. I accepted. It was the happiest day of my life. There was a tournament to celebrate and Lancelot reappeared. By this time, he was a knight of Camelot by merit, but we all thought he had perished. We were so happy to see him. Lancelot gave me a present, a bracelet as an engagement gift. I didn't feel right wearing it. It caused me to feel things for him that I considered long dead. Looking back, I see I wasn't myself. But I met Lancelot, we kissed…and Arthur saw us. They fought and it was awful."

Gwen could hold the tears no longer. She cried, large gasping sobs that shook her small frame.

"I was thrown in the dungeons where I ripped off that wretched bracelet. I saw Arthur the next day and H- He said he didn't want to see me and banished me from Camelot!"

The pain was too much, and Gwen cried harder. Isodole jumped from her seat and sat next to Gwen and put her arms around her. Gwen sank into the comforting embrace. Isodole met her husband's eyes over Gwen's head. It was clear what happened to the woman. That bracelet was enchanted.

Slowly Gwen cries ceased. She raised red, swollen eyes to the pair. Softly she spoke, "No one spoke to me, only Merlin came to see me leave. My own brother looked at me with hatred. Everyone was so quick to believe I was adulterous, a woman with no morals. I realize the bracelet was enchanted. Arthur was enchanted once too and a part of me is angry he hadn't realized that by now. I asked him where would I go, and all he could say is he was sorry. Sorry almost had me enslaved, if it weren't for your kindness." Gwen looked at them. "Thank you for helping me."

The three were quiet.

"I love Arthur, I've stood by and watched him almost marry another princess, I stood by when he broke things off with me, and I've stood by and encouraged him and loved him. I've accepted his apologies and continued on as if nothing happened. Why couldn't he accept mine?"

Gwen put her head in her hands. A long, shuddering sigh escaped her. Raising her head, she looked at Tristan and his wife.

"I understand if you no longer wish for me to be in your home."

"You are a guest, Guinevere, and are welcome to stay for as long as you want." Tristan said. Isodole nodded in agreement.

"Thank you for your kindness." Gwen rose and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"I'd like to lie down before dinner, if that's alright with you."

"That's fine. You've been through a lot. Go get some rest."

Gwen left the study and headed towards her room. Reaching it, she entered and sat in a chair by her window, lost in thought.

It was good to cry, but she was tired of crying and sadness.

Camelot was a thing of the past now. She had to move forward.

Without Arthur.

It would hurt, but it was what had to be done.


	6. Chapter 6

6

Husband and wife remained in the study.

"I must say, wife, that I don't hold a favorable opinion of Arthur or of her 'friends' in Camelot." Tristan said.

"I agree, husband. Gwen is a naturally giving person, and everyone took from her and gave her scraps in return. Banishment may have been the best thing that ever happened to her," Isodole said, her fingers lightly stroking he husband's arm. Looking up at him, she said, "I took her on a tour earlier and she found women fighting fascinating,"

"You'll think she'll join us?"

"In time, I know she will."

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After much pacing and stewing, Gwen decided to go down for dinner. She couldn't hide in her room forever. She had to admit, she wasn't used to such kindness from people who were still virtually strangers. After sharing her story, she was sure she'd be tossed out.

Going down the stairs, she headed to the dining room. Just outside the doors were Tristan, Isodole, and several people. Gwen almost shrank back upon seeing the larger crowd, but she steeled herself and moved forward.

"Gwen! There you are!" Isodole exclaimed. "Come and meet the family."

Hesitantly, Gwen moved forward until Isodole linked arms with her. They walked to where Tristan and a young man were stood. He was tall, young, with a shock of bright red hair. He looked no older than nineteen.

"Gwen meet Galahad. He's been with us since he was a child."

"Nice to meet you," Gwen replied. The image of Galahad joined him. Gwen blinked. The young men were identical twins.

"And this is Gaheris, my brother. Another man joined them, wearing a cloak with a hood. Removing the hood, he faced the newest guest.

"I am Alator." Gwen met his penetrating gray stare and felt…something.

_She has the sense,_ Alator thought to himself. _She is untrained though._

Gwen met several other people. She met Albach, the smith, Tolen, one of the knights. Everyone was nice. Shortly after meeting everyone, the group sat at the table to eat, and the conversation was light and fun. Gwen just listened. It was good to be around people and banter again.

When dinner ended, Tristan and Isodole asked to meet again. Steeling herself for the worst, Gwen met them again in the study. Once seated, Isodole spoke.

I grew up in Ireland, by the sea. My father and Marcus, King Marche's father had arranged a marriage between myself and Marche. When I was eighteen, it was time for me to wed. Tristan, Marche's nephew, came for me. It was love at first sight. We eloped. When word arrived to the king, he was furious and threatened to have us killed. We actually stayed on the run for a few years. We came back to Tintagel after Tristan's father died. By then, the King married Queen Anne. When we returned, it wasn't easy to face the king. I was to marry him after all. But by that time he actually understood why I didn't marry him. He ended up marrying Anne for love. I believe Tintagel would not be as strong if I married him." She squeezed Tristan's hand.

Tristan spoke. "We were wrong in the way we married; we made a mistake in sneaking around. We lost time with our loved ones and I will always regret not being here when my father died. Though things have worked out, we were wrong in the way we initially handled things. "Looking at Gwen, he said. "No one is perfect. We all make mistakes. The best we can do is to make use of the gifts given us to help others. That's what we do here." Gwen looked at them quizzically.

"What is it you do?"

"Our main service is of course, serving the king. We help keep the kingdom safe. We also rid the lands of slavery and bandits. Those captured that we rescue either go to another village to live or they stay here to learn how to fight. They join us in fighting to end the trade of human flesh. We also help the surrounding kingdoms, like Mercia, if needed. "Tristan paused and looked carefully at Gwen.

"We'd like you to join us."

"Me?" Gwen said. "I don't know what you see in me that causes you believe I could ever be such a warrior."

"It wasn't easy to live the way you lived before. It wasn't easy for you to leave everything behind. I look at you Gwen, and see that you are a woman of great strength. We would be honored to have you join us." These words came from Isodole.

Gwen sat in disbelief.

She needed time to process this. She stood abruptly.

"I-I need to think about it. May I be excused?"

"Of course, take your time. We'll see you in the morning." Tristan said.

Gwen left the study and headed to her room. Undressing with the help of Moira, Gwen was in her nightgown and in bed not too much later.

Sleep didn't come easily. She dozed off and on until very early in the morning. Years of rising early hadn't left Gwen. She rose and found her old clothes in the back of her wardrobe. Dressing in her trousers, tunic and boots, Gwen headed to the training ground.

It was empty.

She walked around slowly, taking in the atmosphere. Something in the air, the purpose behind the fighting, resonated in her. Idly running a hand over an archery target, she startled when she heard a voice, the tone slightly mocking.

"You have a lot to learn. I shouldn't have been able to sneak up on you like that."

Turning, Gwen faced the man. He was tall, and from what she could tell in the early morning light, well built. He was tanned with black hair and silvery blue eyes. There was an aura about him that was…dangerous, in spite of his handsome face. Gwen knew she was facing a man who was quite intimidating. His stare unnerved her.

Taking a shaky breath, Gwen replied, "What makes you think I want to learn?"

"You're here, aren't you? People don't come here unless they want to learn. Who are you?" His brusque manner bothered Gwen. He was rude.

"My name is Guinevere." Her manner was polite, but her tone was cool.

The man said nothing, merely eyed her for a moment. Then he spoke.

"I am Julian."

"It's nice to meet you," Gwen said. Habit made her words cordial.

"No, it's not. I was rude just then. Why didn't you call me on it?"

"I'm used to rude people."

"You shouldn't be."

"It is what it is."

"Why are you here Guinevere?"

She said nothing. She didn't know, to be honest. All she knew was that she needed to do something different.

Julian suddenly stepped closer, his large frame invading her space. Gwen couldn't suppress the tiny shiver of fear from him being so close. Her wide, innocent eyes met his timidly as she took a step back. He spoke then, his voice a low rumble.

"Lesson one: Never let the enemies see your fear. It gives them the advantage." He stepped back.

"I am not your enemy. I am here to help you train. We start at dawn. See you on the training field." The man then walked away, leaving her alone on the field.

Looking at the field surrounding her, she noticed that dawn was approaching. Eying the archery targets, she made a choice.

She would fight.

A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews, alerts, and adds. It always means so much when you do! So we won't see a reunion with the Camelot crew for a minute, but they are coming back.


	7. Chapter 7

7

_Two years later_

"Don't hold back."

"I won't."

The fight began. The two fighters circled each other, their eyes locked on one another.

He charged first. She ducked and held her foot out, tripping him effectively. With a roar, he rose again and came at her again. Once again she deflected his blow. Over and over again he came at her at different angles, looking for weaknesses in her speed, flexibility, and strength. She had very few weak spots now, and with every spar, she was improving. Her endurance had skyrocketed.

Eying a long stick on the ground, Gwen ran towards it. She quickly planted on end on the ground and used the stick as a pole. With both hands encircling the stick, she used her feet to kick her opponents flank. When he doubled over, Gwen lifted the stick in her hands and struck Julian on the back of his neck at a certain angle. The large man went down.

After a few moments of the pair catching their breaths, Julian turned towards her.

"Nice work,"

Gwen fairly beamed.

Her hand to hand fighting had come a long way in the past couple of years. She learned that as a woman, she had to be faster than her male opponents. It compensated for them being physically stronger. She now knew all of the pressure points on the body that caused pain, pleasure, or unconsciousness. She had also become quite proficient in archery. The crossbow and bow and arrow were her weapons of choice. Gwen also learned how to make a weapon out of anything.

Like sticks, for example.

When she first began training, her muscles were so sore that all she could do was sleep after dinner. It was a good thing though. The intense training kept her mind off of Arthur. She couldn't think about missing him if she was too tired to think. The focus on something else helped her in many ways. She was a confident woman now. She spoke with authority. She met the eyes of others with ease. She also respected herself, something she realized she didn't do until she realized she did. The innate desire to please everyone at the expense of her self- worth was gone.

She also learned that while she wasn't magic, she could sense it. Alator taught her how. She also learned that with practice, the influence of magic on a trained mind could be fought and resisted. Gwen had a natural affinity for it. She was now able to assess the strength of the magic people used. She started small, but over time, she had become able to even resist Alator, and his magic was quite strong.

She was uncomfortable around Alator at first once she found out he performed magic. Her experiences with magic were negative. Magic robbed her of her love and family. Alator showed her that just like her crossbow, magic was simply a tool. It could be used for good or evil.

At Cornwall, everyone there became family to her. It blessed her to no end to be surrounded by people who loved her. She loved them as well. They were also a team. They had recently traveled to Briton, the kingdom next to Tintagel, to takedown slavers. They had become closer to their goals. Slavery was nearly extinct in their lands. Gwen was proud to be a part of something so important. It was awesome to see that the hard work they were doing was not in vain.

Something else happened.

She had become a lady.

Gwen didn't realize that she moved and spoke with innate nobility. She was full of feminine grace and class. Isodole noticed and subtly began teaching her the nuances of nobility at court. Isodole was like the sister she always wanted but never had.

During this time, Gwen had grown up. She was finally at a place where thinking about Arthur didn't cause pain in her heart. It took her a long time to heal from those past hurts. She didn't trust anyone from there. She had forgiven and let the past go, but she hadn't forgotten.

She'd never forget.

She loved him. She knew that she always would.

But was love enough?

It didn't matter anyway. She was still banished and she didn't see that changing anytime soon.

And at this point, she wasn't sure if she wanted to return if she had the choice.

Camelot was a place that held a lot of painful memories.

While she had forgiven, she wasn't sure what she'd do if she saw someone from that time of her life. In many ways, it seemed as if her time in Camelot was a lifetime ago.

Now that sparring was over, Gwen practiced with her crossbow. She wanted to be ready for the next rescue mission. There were two teams that went out in shifts. Tristan and Isodole were on a trip now. They led a team. She and Julian led the other.

Julian had become a great friend.

He had a very hard start in life. As a child, he witnessed his entire village massacred by bandits, including his parents. He was then enslaved for several years. He escaped as a teenager, and Tristan found him when they were returning from a mission. Julian became one the the best fighters Tristan had ever seen. He fought hard to see people freed, to ensure that they would not have to endure what he had. A shout roused her from her thoughts. The team had returned.

Tristan and Galahad carried the wounded man to Alator's chambers. They found him on the side of the road.

Alator looked at him and said "Place him on the cot."

The man was placed on the cot and his clothing was quickly removed. He had a large gash on the left side of his abdomen. He also had another wound on his leg. Assessing the damage, the healer began putting poultices together. He applied them with the ease of one who had done the work for many years.

"He's lost a lot of blood, but he will be fine with rest," Alator said to Tristan. Taking in the older man's tired features, he said "Go get some rest; I have a feeling help is coming soon." Tristan left to get a bath and some sleep.

A few moments later, Gwen entered his chambers. Alator smiled inwardly. Gwen was always quick to help care for those who were wounded.

"Alator, I saw a man being carried in, is there anything you-"Gwen stopped short at the sight of the wounded man on the cot.

Alator looked surprised at the shocked look on her features. Gwen rarely showed her emotions, it was a byproduct of her training.

"Do you know him?" Gwen nodded numbly as she continued to stare at the knight. He still had brown hair that he kept long, and his handsome face was covered with a beard.

"He is a knight of Camelot. His name is Gwaine."


	8. Chapter 8

8

Gwen was a bit shocked to see Gwaine of all people turn up at Cornwall. What happened? When she talked to Tristan, he said they found him on the side of the road. He'd been in and out of consciousness for the past few days, so she couldn't get an answer from him.

It was odd, seeing someone from her past. For the past few days, she'd stop by Alator's chambers after training to check of Gwaine. For the past few days when she'd visit, he'd always been asleep. Today was different. He was sitting by the window when she entered.

Gwaine turned at the sound of the door opening, but he was not prepared for what he was seeing.

His mouth dropped open.

It was Guinevere. And she was…there were no words.

As a man well versed in feminine charms, Gwen was a natural beauty. Somehow she had become more beautiful. She stood before him in fitted black pants and a blue tunic. The shirt was fitted and the sleeves were short. He could see that she was well toned. Tall black boots were on her feet. There was a leather strap crossing her chest which held a …crossbow?

As she was walking into the room, Gwaine noticed Gwen moved with a confidence and catlike grace. Once she fully entered the room, Gwen removed the crossbow and set it on the table, her eyes never leaving his. Seeing another chair, the lady sat down and faced him, a polite smile on her lips.

"Hello Gwaine." Her tone was cordial and cool.

Shame rolled over him at her greeting. He, like the rest of Camelot, treated her horribly after Arthur's pronouncement. He knew he had to apologize.

"I was an ass Gwen." His tone was contrite.

"We agree on something, then," Gwen replied.

"I realize that I'll have to prove it to you, but I am truly sorry." Gwaine apologized.

A slight nod was the only acknowledgement he received for his words, but he knew he deserved that. He also knew that charm never worked on Gwen. That was something about her that remained the same. Not quite wanting the conversation to end, he continued.

"You look good." Gwaine's voice was full of admiration.

"I am good. You however, look ragged. How are your wounds?"

"I am feeling much better."

"Good. Get some rest and I'll stop by and check on you later." Gwen rose, and picking up her weapon, left the room, shutting the door behind her.

Gwaine looked at the door, thoughts racing through his head.

He'd found Gwen.

And she was amazing. Simply breathtaking.

Somehow, he had to get her back to Camelot.

The king needed her.

Arthur was never quite the same after her leaving. He was a shell of himself for a year. Merlin found the bracelet and told Arthur about its enchantment. Arthur then began sending search parties to search for her.

No trace of her was discovered. It was as if she'd vanished from the face of the earth.

Reluctantly, Arthur stopped searching. His kingdom was imploding from within.

There was a spy in the court. That spy had been giving information to Camelot's newest enemy Helios.

Helios was a warrior who had aligned himself with Morgana. Together they plotted for months to take over Arthur's throne. They had been successful. Helios and his men had taken over the citadel. Arthur and his men, Gaius, and Merlin were holed up in an abandoned castle.

Camelot was without allies. Agravaine made sure of that. Without Arthur knowing, he had sent messages and preformed acts which nullified the treaties that were made. All of the alliances Camelot had built had fallen. Gwaine decided to take a risk. Maybe if he could locate some help…he'd heard of King Marche's fierce warriors. Maybe they could help. So he left a note for Merlin and snuck off.

He didn't plan on being attacked by so many men.

The last thing Gwaine remembered was being thrown from his horse.

Then he awoke here.

He felt tired. Alator told him he lost a lot of blood. He lay on the cot to sleep. He would talk to Gwen tomorrow, he reasoned.

What he didn't realize was that he wouldn't see her for several days.

000000000000

Gwen decided to go on her mission as planned. Tristan had told her she could stay and talk to Gwaine. By now, everyone knew who Gwaine was and what he represented. While he wasn't being treated badly, people weren't exactly kind to him either. They all knew Gwen's story, and like Tristan and Isodole, their view of Camelot wasn't favorable.

Gwaine, with surprising perception, said nothing. He knew he deserved the treatment. Everyone who called themselves a friend to Gwen deserved the same thing he was enduring.

When Gwaine asked Alator where Gwen was, he was astonished to hear that she was on a mission for the king.

"What kind of mission?"

"She's a warrior for the king. She'll go wherever she's sent." Alator replied.

"What kind of warrior? I mean, I saw her with a crossbow yesterday-"

"The Lady Guinevere is quite proficient with the crossbow. I daresay it's her favorite weapon." Alator leveled his gaze with the knight and got straight to the point.

"The Gwen you know is long gone. Yes she's still kind, yes she's still giving, but she's not subservient anymore. She's confident and knows her own mind. She's a skilled fighter. She's worked hard to become one. Guinevere is fierce when crossed and a force to be reckoned with. She's not to be trifled with." Alator said with a small smirk. "I would know. I've helped her train."

"I had no idea," Gwaine said. "I could tell she had changed, but I had no idea how much."

He wanted to ask when she would return.

Alator answered his unasked question.

"She'll be back in a few days."

"Do you think I could train with your fighters?" Alator looked at him shrewdly.

"Speak to Tristan."

And so he did. Now that Gwaine was much improved, he was given a room. He talked to Tristan and Isodole about the situation in Camelot.

Husband and wife found themselves grudgingly liking Gwaine. He admitted his wrongs toward Gwen and confessed that everyone felt the same way. They told Gwaine he was welcome to stay until he was healed fully. He was also invited to train with them.

After a successful mission, Gwen, Julian and their fighters returned. She took the mission to take her mind off the fact that someone she once considered a friend was in her new home.

She didn't know what to make of him.

He at least had the decency to apologize. That was a plus.

But seeing Gwaine made her wonder how Arthur was.

She still thought of him from time to time. She buried herself in work or planning to escape her thoughts when they occurred. There were times when he'd invade her dreams. She didn't like that either. It was on those mornings she was a bit grumpy due to her lack of sleep.

It was still hard. But everyday was a day she became stronger and better.

It was late and Gwen wanted a bath and sleep.

She'd deal with Gwaine tomorrow.

But it was not to be.

Isodole and Tristan stopped her in the hall before she made it to her room.

"Gwen can we talk to you? It's important."

Gwen paused. It was rare for them to ask such a favor. She nodded.

"Let me freshen up and I'll meet you in the study. Have some food for me."

Gwen took a quick bath and changed clothes. She then went into the study and closed the door. She wasn't surprised to see Tristan, Isodole, and Gwaine.

Seeing Isodole, she hugged her.

"I brought you a tray."

"Thanks."

As Gwen ate, she debriefed with Tristan. When she finished eating, she looked at Gwaine, and then her friends.

"Tristan, what we talked about could have waited until tomorrow. Why am I really here?"

Before Tristan could answer, Gwaine spoke.

"Gwen, Arthur and Camelot are in danger."

A/N: I went on a total writing tangent because I had the weekend off. Updates will probably be once a week. Thanks so much for the reviews, alerts, and adds! You guys are awesome.


	9. Chapter 9

9

Gwen looked at him blankly.

"Imagine that," she murmured in a voice faintly tinged with sarcasm. With a slight smirk, she faced the knight.

"Arthur, from what I recall is always facing challenges. What's so different now?" she replied.

"Morgana has taken the throne."

"Morgana has taken the throne before, and was only queen for a few weeks. You all were successful in overtaking her before. What's changed?"

"She's held power for months now. She has a strong ally in Helios."

"What do you want exactly?"

"Help. I left Camelot in hopes of finding King Marche to help us. I had no idea I'd find you here."

"I don't see how a banished person can be of assistance to you."

"Your banishment has been lifted. King Arthur lifted it himself before the citadel was taken."

Gwen's face showed none of her surprise.

"Why was it lifted?" Her voice was neutral.

"It was found out that you were enchanted. We had actually been searching for you, but the trail was cold."

"How long was the banishment before it was lifted?"

"A year."

"A year is a long time." The merest flicker of anger glinted in her brown eyes as she regarded him.

"We had thought you'd stay close by, like in Ealdor. No one could have imagined you'd go so far."

"Clearly you underestimated me." Gwen said with a slight smirk.

Gwaine could do nothing but nod in agreement.

"How many men does Helios have?"

"Thousands."

"Are they enchanted in any way?"

"Not from what I can tell."

"What of Arthur's allies?"

"They are no more." Gwen nodded; she had an idea what, or rather who happened.

"Agravaine?"

"Yes."

"How many men fight with you?"

"Maybe a thousand. That was before I left. It could be less."

They'd faced worse odds, Gwen thought to herself. Again, her face gave away nothing.

"Gwen, if you and your friends are willing to help, we would truly appreciate it." Instinctively, Gwaine knew he needed to give her space to think so Gwaine rose and said "I'm going to retire. I'll see you in the morning." Gwaine left the study and headed to his room.

Gwen faced her friends.

"What are you thinking Gwen?" Isodole asked.

"I want to refuse Gwaine, but that makes me no better than him who banished me. Refusing him is me wanting to get back at those who hurt me. We help others. We've done this before for other kingdoms. We actually have advantages. I know how Morgana's mind works. I know the layout of the castle and the land. I don't know how I feel about facing people I thought I'd never see again, but I can handle that. I know I can come back here when it's over."

"Yes you can Gwen, if you choose to." Tristan said.

"Why don't we meet with everyone tomorrow? We can decide as a group, but you should know that we all will go with you if you choose to return." Isodole said.

Gwen nodded. "I know."

Morning came and with it, training. Gwen wasn't surprised to see Gwaine join them. She knew he was curious about her ability. Gwen focused on her work, and actually forgot her was there.

Gwaine started out with them, but realized he was still a bit tired from the blood loss. He hoped he'd be back at full strength in a few more days. Isodole saw him flagging and waved him over to her.

When he came over, she assessed him. She saw he was tired, and a bit put out that he wasn't back to himself. In an attempt to smooth things over, she began to explain what they did.

Gwaine listened with half an ear, nodding at the appropriate times. His focus was on his old friend. She was sparring with a young redheaded man. Her movements were quick, and accurate. It was unnerving to see her this way. It was vastly different from the Gwen he remembered.

Isodole noticed her guest's attention. Silently she stood next to him.

He then watched Gwen work with the bow and arrow and crossbow. She shot still and moving targets with deadly precision. Alator's words from yesterday rang in his mind, about her being a warrior, a fighter. Seeing her fight was like watching moving art.

"She's amazing." He said, his voice filled with awe.

"Yes, she is." Isodole's voice held a trace of amusement.

Gwaine whipped his head towards her, realizing just then he'd spoken his thoughts aloud. She continued, saying, "She's one of the most tenacious fighters I've ever seen. When she first came here, she was sad and hurting badly. She threw herself into this to rid herself of memories of her homeland. She's found herself here." She saw the look of incredulity that crossed his features when he first saw her. He didn't know what to make of her. She did have to give the knight some credit. He was humble enough to admit he was wrong.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Gwen and Galahad joined them.

Gwaine said. "So when can I spar with you Gwen?"

Her eyes coolly assessed his frame. "Not until you're fully recovered. I won't fight you unless you're at your best." She sauntered away from them, heading into the house.

"Let's get something to eat," He heard her say to the young man.

Isodole walked away from Gwaine as well, but not without a parting shot.

"Even at your best, Gwaine, you may still find yourself eating dirt."

After lunch, Tristan, Isodole, Julian, Gwen, Galahad, Gaheris, Alator, and Gwaine met to talk.

They were in the library. After introductions were made, Tristan asked Gwaine to explain his situation in Camelot. Gwaine explained the exile of the king by his sister, how the people were being treated badly under Morgana's rule, the betrayals by Arthur's uncle, and how Arthur wanted to take control back, but needed help. When he was finished, he looked at Gwen. She was standing by the window and was looking outside. He was taken aback when Julian joined her, and took her hands in his.

Tristan saw Gwaine's expression. Turning to the knight he said, "Could you excuse us, Gwaine? We have a lot to discuss."

Gwaine nodded and left the room, his mind swirling with what he'd seen.

Had Gwen moved on?

0000000000000000

In the library, the group was silent. Julian spoke first, her hands still in his.

"Gwen, how do you feel about this?"

Gwen knew that she could be completely honest with the people in this room. They all trusted each other with their lives.

"I know helping them is the right thing to do. Seeing Gwaine made me realize I'm still angry. I'm angry that when I was at my lowest, the people who I considered family and friends abandoned me. The hurt is still there. Yet, I hate to hear that my homeland is going through this. I want to help the people. I just don't want my anger and hurt to be a liability to you. We all have to be sharp for this to end well."

Alator spoke. "Guinevere, I think that the best thing you can do when we return to Camelot is that you be honest. Don't bottle your emotions up. Speak your peace, focus your mind, and do the work you are so good at doing."

Gwen nodded at the wisdom of his words. Julian placed an arm around her shoulders and she leaned into his embrace for a moment. Then she stood tall and spoke to her friends.

"I am returning to Camelot to help the king reclaim his throne. Who's with me?"

A/N: Arthur's POV is coming up next! So I received a review telling me I misspelled Isodle's name. Thanks for noticing that! However, since I've gone this long with her name spelled with an extra o, I'll keep it that way. And I wanted to give you all an idea of who I envision when I see the characters in my head. I picture Daniel Craig as Tristan, Lucy Lawless as Isodle (with blond hair), and Andy Whitfield as Julian. I'm truly humbled by the favorites, alerts and adds. Hoping to update again this week.


	10. Chapter 10

10

_Castle of Fyrien, Outside of Camelot_

Arthur looked outside the castle window, wondering, not for the first time, where it all went wrong.

He trusted his uncle wholeheartedly. He turned to him initially because his father was so ill, and he didn't feel confident enough to run a kingdom. He didn't have the faith to believe that his father prepared him to be a good king. He died too soon and before Arthur was ready.

As if you could ever be ready to face the death of a parent.

It was a huge mistake. He lost so much listening to his uncle's council. He lost love, allies, and now Camelot.

He still couldn't believe that Merlin, Gaius, Leon, Gwaine, Elyan, and Percival were still so determined to follow his leadership.

They still believed that he was the rightful king.

Their faith in him reminded him of another's unwavering faith.

He threw her away.

Guinevere.

It was his biggest regret. His ego was bruised and he was full of pride when he banished her. He hardened his heart at her tearful pleas to remain.

Nights were the worst. Dreams of her filled his night. They began with him loving her, and then they merged into nightmares of her lying dead somewhere, of her being abused by men. He was tormented by her cries for help.

Initially he tried to drown out his cries by courting other princesses.

But their empty heads and lust for his title did little for him; they only made him hunger for Guinevere more.

Meeting those princesses was a stupid thing to do.

Guinevere loved him. He loved her.

And he banished her.

When he finally realized his uncle's treachery a year after her banishment, he finally opened his ears to what Merlin had been saying all along.

It was all orchestrated by Morgana and Agravaine. Gwen was enchanted.

The thing that haunted him the most is that he wasn't confident in her love for him.

He so easily believed the worst about her.

Guinevere was steadfast in her love for him. Why didn't he question a sudden change in loyalty? Lancelot before he died had been a knight for over a year in Camelot. There was not a hint of impropriety between him and Guinevere.

His regret over mistreating her would be something he'd always live with. It didn't help that he was unable to find her.

Not for the first time, he wished he could see her again.

He figured even if she were alive somewhere, she probably hated him.

It was no more than what he deserved.

His thoughts were plagued with if only's.

If only he'd waited and made a decision with a cooler head.

If only he trusted her.

If only he hadn't taken her for granted, sure that she'd always be there. How many times did he let her go? He nearly married another, and she still loved him. He'd been enchanted! Yet she still loved him. He even told her she was an inappropriate choice.

He was a fool.

The relationship was all about him. He set the pace, he made the decisions.

Did she ever have a say?

Did she ever truly feel as if she had a right to speak her mind?

As if it happened yesterday, he remembered telling her how proud he was of her for defeating that beast, the Lamia. She looked genuinely surprised and pleased by his words. Even now, he could hear her words of encouragement.

"_Arthur, you are precious."_

"_You'll be a great king."_

"_I see the man you are inside."_

Did he ever encourage her like that?

When he saw her kissing Lancelot, something broke inside of him. He was so hurt. He made poor choices because he was blinded by hurt.

He banished her and threatened death if she ever returned.

He was stubborn about it for a year. Merlin tried to tell him, but he shut his ears to his arguments.

He didn't want to believe he couldn't trust his uncle. He didn't want to believe that he had another family member he couldn't trust. Not after he let go of the one he trusted most.

There were no words truly to describe his feelings towards Agravaine's treason.

It cut him deep.

It made him question his perception. He thought he was a good judge of character.

He had a lot to learn.

Shortly after learning the truth about his uncle, he went searching for Guinevere. He had no success.

In the midst of that Helios attacked. They were outmatched. The famed strength of Camelot was crushed under his men.

He had to retreat. Merlin had the idea of relocating to Fyrien. It was an excellent one. The castle was well fortified and nearly impossible to get into.

They hid out there, working at a plan to reclaim Camelot.

None of his plans had worked so far.

When Gwaine left, he was angry. Now he hoped that he brought some help.

Arthur Pendragon could finally admit he needed it.

A/N: Thanks for the alerts and adds and reviews!


	11. Chapter 11

11

In the early light of dawn, Merlin was collecting supplies.

It was the safest time to do anything.

Ever since Morgana took over the throne, it seemed as if she brought every bandit with her.

The roads were more dangerous than ever. Villages were raided; people were hurt, attacked and starving.

The cries of the people fell on Morgana's deaf ears.

Arthur was a man with many faults, but he did care about the people.

He had been shut out of Camelot for months now. And he noticed that it was beginning to take its toll on him.

Arthur was beginning to lose hope. His counterattack plans failed. As an excellent strategist, the failures hit him hard.

Merlin thought that the failures were for a reason. He remembered the Dragon's words about a great warrior returning. He believed that Camelot couldn't be reclaimed without the one person who was exiled from it- Guinevere.

Where was she? He didn't know. What he did know was that he felt awful about the way she left.

He went to her house that day to say how sorry he was. It was just when he met her hurt eyes his throat closed and he couldn't speak. Tears filled his vision as he watched her walk away.

He missed his friend. She was the very first friend in Camelot he had.

The hardest thing was that no one wanted to talk about her being gone and missing her. People pretended like she went on a holiday, or left because she wanted to. But she was banished with nothing but her meager possessions.

He tried to reason with Arthur. He told him about his uncle.

The first year was beyond frustrating. Time and again he wondered what he could have done to prevent this.

He felt such triumph when Agravaine was outed. And he confessed every detail, every vile act against Camelot he and Morgana committed.

Arthur found out by following his uncle. When he found him conversing with Morgana deep in the woods, he said nothing for several days. Merlin knew he was wrestling with meting out the crime of treason, which was death.

Merlin couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief that the man was dead.

A rustle in the bushes startled Merlin. He jumped up from the tree stump he had been sitting on, lost in thought.

"Merlin WHAT are you doing just sitting here?" Arthur's whisper was like a shout in the now too quiet woods.

Too quiet only meant one thing.

The shout of the bandit party was the only warning they had of attack.

Arthur withdrew his sword.

Merlin picked up a branch.

They fought.

Merlin used magic whenever Arthur wasn't looking. He felt a massive amount of guilt at still hiding such a large secret from his friend.

But it was not enough. There were too many men.

Arthur was held against a tree with a sword to his neck.

He struggled but could not get free.

He fixed his eyes on the horizon, determined to die well.

He heard one of the men ask if he had any last words.

Arthur opened his mouth.

And whispered her name.

"_Guinevere."_

He steeled himself to meet his death.

But fate had other ideas.

His eyes widened in shock as three arrows seemed to be heading straight for him.

They instead struck the men holding him. They fell to the soft earth, dead instantly.

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Guinevere's heart broke at the destruction of Camelot. The once bustiling kingdom appeared dead.

People were afraid to leave their homes.

If Gwen thought Uther was a hard king, the rumors swirling about Morgana made him look like a puppy.

She killed anyone who spoke against her.

She used criminals to strike fear into those defenseless.

She was a tyrant.

Through whispers, Gwen and her friends heard what happened. How Helios and his men took over and annihilated Camelot's soldiers, causing Arthur and his men to leave with their lives. They followed a rumor that he had hidden himself in a castle by the sea. Gwen thought that it could be Fyrien. They decided to try it.

The party was shocked to see two men under attack by twenty.

They were at the top of a hill, looking down. Gwen grabbed her bow and arrows while the rest went into the fray.

"Cover us Gwen," Tristan said. Gwen started by shooting arrows at the men holding the other man against a tree. Although she couldn't make out faces, she saw the sword glinting in the early light. No one deserved to die in such a manner, she thought to herself as she took aim.

She shot, and took them down. She continued this process until the remaining men ran away from their attack. She was standing up to head down there when she heard footsteps. She knew that they were not any of the sounds of her friends.

"Well, what do we have here?" She could hear the leer in his voice.

Standing fully, she awaited his attack.

It wasn't long in coming and then the fight began.

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Arthur looked around him in shock and realized his opponents were gone.

"Wow Princess you sure know how to start a good fight!" He was shocked to see Gwaine standing with two other men and a woman.

"Gwaine where have you been?" Thought he'd probably never admit it aloud, Arthur was glad to see the knight.

"I went for help. I came back with them." Gwaine inclined his head to where Tristan, Isodole, and Julian stood.

"The rest will be here tomorrow," Gwaine said as he continued to explain."We left Camelot in groups." Arthur felt his chest constrict at the mention of his kingdom.

"How are things?" Arthur asked, mentally preparing himself for the worst.

"Worse."

The tall blond man stepped forward and introduced himself. "My name is Tristan and this is my wife Isodole. This is our friend Julian. Gwaine found us in Tintagel. We-" Tristan stopped and turned his head, noticing movement from above out of the corner of his eye. Arthur followed his gaze.

There was a small woman fighting a much larger man. She was quick in her movements, effectively weakening the man with each blow. She then ran quickly and using a tree as leverage, ran up it a bit as if she were trying to climb it. Instead, she used the run as a way to gain enough momentum to jump from the side. Sailing gracefully in the air, one leg swung out and kicked the man's neck, felling him permanently.

Arthur and Merlin's mouths dropped open. Even Gwaine looked taken aback at that move.

Tristan grinned. "She does that better than I do."

"Tristan you know she's a fast learner," Isodole said, her eyes brimming with pride.

"Who is THAT?" Arthur said as he watched the woman come down the hill.

"I believe it's someone you know," Tristan replied dryly. Arthur's brow furrowed with puzzlement.

He knew of no one who fought like that, especially a woman. He watched as she came closer.

She wore fitted trousers and a sleeveless tunic. Her thick, dark hair was in a single braid. A golden band encircled her upper arm. Tall black boots were on her feet. Her honeyed skin shone in the morning light. Her dark, almond shaped eyes sparkled.

It couldn't be, Arthur thought to himself as he watched her come closer.

He'd never seen her look so…confident. She moved with such grace it seemed that her feet didn't even touch the earth. She was beautiful…

"It's quite a sight, isn't it?" Gwaine said lowly.

Arthur could do nothing but nod, feeling a bit jealous that Gwaine saw her this way first.

Seeing the bow and arrows attached to the strap across her back, he realized she was the one who just saved his life.

As he watched her come closer and her eyes dawn in recognition as to who was standing there, he watched the sparkle in her eyes dwindle until they resembled stone. Her face became a neutral mask as she finally approached the group. Tristan clapped her shoulder approvingly.

"That was quite some kick you threw back there."

"What can I say? I've learned from the best." She smiled at him briefly before eyeing Arthur.

"Gwen, I know you know Arthur Pendragon, Camelot's displaced king," Tristan said. He knew the first meeting had to happen. This was perfect, the older knight thought to himself. The young king saw her in action.

Gwen turned to him, her face calm, and her voice nonchalant.

"Hello Arthur."

"Hello Guinevere."

A/N: I hope the fight scene was described well. That was a bit of a challenge to write. So Arthur and Gwen meet again! I'm having a blast writing for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

12

He couldn't stop staring at her.

Her attire showed more of her figure than he'd ever seen. He remembered her dresses and how they flattered her. He could see how toned she was, and the desire he'd always had for her subtly began to pump in his veins.

He still couldn't believe she was here.

She wasn't the same. Her brown eyes, eyes that used to shine with love for him, now looked at him with indifference.

The indifference to him was worse than hatred.

It made him realize that perhaps she didn't really care about him anymore.

The fact that she met his eyes to speak instead of being slightly downcast was the biggest indicator to him that Guinevere had drastically changed.

After the introduction, everyone wisely thought it best to head back to Fyrien. Quickly the party gathered their things and headed there. During the walk back, Arthur was full of questions.

Where had she been?

What was she doing back?

Where did she learn to fight like that?

The last question rolled around in Arthur's mind again and again. He could still see that perfect kick she executed in his mind's eye.

Finally they made it to the castle.

Merlin said to the newcomers, "Let me show you where you can put their horses."

Arthur turned to follow them, but Merlin said "Can you let Gaius and everyone else know Gwaine has returned? And that he's brought help."

Numbly, Arthur nodded, appreciative of Merlin's save. He needed to get himself together.

Seeing Guinevere again had definitely affected him.

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Gwen was glad that was over.

She wondered how it would be to see Arthur again. Would it be awkward?

Well, it was a bit awkward.

What do you say to someone who banished you?

_How's the weather?_ Just didn't seem to cut it.

On the walk back to the castle, she planted herself between Isodole and Julian. She wasn't ready to deal with him.

After the initial shock had worn off, Gwen was filled with anger. She wanted to hit him!

Turning to her sister, she said "I'm still mad."

Isodole looked at Gwen steadily, her green eyes assessing her. She was a little concerned at first that when they returned to her home, Gwen would revert in some ways. She was glad to see she hadn't.

Gwen spoke to her about how she had to hide her emotions and appear pleasant at all times. One of the things Isodole encouraged was for her to speak her mind. Gwen was hesitant to do at first, worried about what others would think or say. As time passed, she became much more confident with her words. Looking to the man opposite Gwen, she knew Julian had a large part in that.

The two of them had an interesting dynamic. She remembered in Gwen's early days of training, he'd say things to get under her skin in order to push her harder. She exasperated, would snipe back. They were good friends now, of that Isodole had no doubt. Otherwise they wouldn't work as a team so well. There were times when she thought that there may have been more than just friendship between them, but neither had done anything concrete to prove her thoughts correct.

She'd asked her husband about it and he said, "There only friends, they don't look at each other _that _way." After watching them closely, she realized her husband was right.

Eying her friend, her sister, Isodole said simply "It's okay to be angry."

Gwen nodded. Soon they reached the castle.

She heard Merlin say he show them where to put their horses. As he passed her, Gwen felt it.

Magic. She looked at his back with more than a little surprise. When he turned around, Gwen schooled her features as she took a deep breath and focused her mind. He passed her again, and the jolt she felt confirmed it.

Merlin had magic, and it was the most powerful she'd ever encountered.

She'd always known there was something different about him, but she never imagined…

How had he hidden it this long? Merlin had been in Camelot for over seven years now.

_Gaius._ Gwen thought to herself. He had to know. There were too many times things would happen that the two of them together would explain away.

"Gwen?" She heard Julian whisper. He noticed her slight change in demeanor. He could always tell when Gwen focused herself.

"I felt it again." Gwen said softly. Julian knew what she meant.

"Who, Arthur's manservant?" He asked. He had felt it as well. He could sense but not as well as she.

Gwen nodded. Now in the castle, Julian pulled her into an alcove so they could speak without interruption for a moment.

"He has the strongest magic I've ever felt."

"Stronger than Alator's?"

"Far stronger. And I don't think anyone knows." Julian nodded. He wouldn't say anything. It wasn't his secret to tell. Aloud he said, "Let's go meet everyone." Squeezing her arm in reassurance, they headed towards the main hall.

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Tristan observed the scene before him. He followed the king into the castle while the others put the horses away. Arthur had gathered several men together and they were whispering intensely among themselves. One was old, with white hair. The rest were knights, he could tell by their stance. One was darker skinned, and the older man guessed that this was Gwen's brother Elyan. Another man was very tall with large muscles. That had to be Percival. He knew who Gwaine was, and the other man next to him had to be Leon.

So these men were Arthur's personal guard. He knew that they were talking about them, and Tristan took no offense. He wondered if Arthur told them of Guinevere's return. When Elyan's head raised and he looked at him sharply, he knew he had. Tristan met the man's gaze unflinchingly. He didn't have the highest opinion of Gwen's brother. What kind of brother abandoned their sister in her hour of need?

He was curious to find out.

Just then his wife and Merlin walked in. Isodole walked to him. He looked behind her for the rest of his team, but he didn't see them.

"Where are Gwen and Julian?" He asked her.

"They were just behind us. I'm sure they'll be right in." She replied.

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Arthur listened to the knights bicker at Gwaine.

"You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"What if they said no?"

"How do you know we can trust them?"

"Do you all have any better ideas?" Gwaine countered. Arthur was tired of the back and forth.

He spoke and said "Guinevere is with them." Elyan turned around and looked at the foreign man. The steady blue gaze upon him caused him to turn back around.

"She's back?" Gaius asked.

"She's the one who brought them." Gwaine said. "I found her at Tintagel." He decided to keep the details simple. He knew they had to see her in action before they could believe his words about how good she was-how good they all were.

As they continued to whisper, Arthur looked for Gwen. His eyes widened slightly as he watched her walk in with the tall, dark-haired man, Julian. It didn't escape his notice that one of his hands was on the small of her back.

Before he could really absorb what he saw, Tristan spoke.

"We came here with the understanding you needed help in reclaiming your throne, Arthur Pendragon. Is this true?"

Arthur nodded. "It is."

"How do we know that you are here to truly help us?" Leon asked.

"They saved our lives this morning," Merlin said. Still, the knights eyed the newcomers with a little suspicion.

Guinevere stepped forward.

The air in the room became very still as they gazed upon her in shock. She was without a weapon, but she moved with authority.

"Gwaine came to us and shared that Morgana and Helios have taken Camelot for themselves. He'd heard of King Marche's men and wondered if they would be willing to help. Tristan and his wife are exceptional fighters. I would know. I've seen them in action." She paused and met the eyes of each knight, the king, Merlin, and Gaius. All has the decency to look a bit abashed. "If there is a problem with us being here, we shall leave and you can continue as you are."

"There is no problem," Arthur said quickly and with authority.

"Well then", Isolole said, "Now that we've settled that, let's get down to business."


	13. Chapter 13

13

They had been there two weeks.

The first night there, Arthur fully explained what happened. Then he did something that surprised her.

He'd asked for their help.

She couldn't believe it. Arthur never asked for help before.

She was glad to see him more humble.

In a way, losing the throne had been good for him. He had to find himself and prove himself worthy to be a king and lead the people. When he regained control, he'd be a much better king.

As Gwen finished dressing for her day, she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," she called.

Arthur opened the door and leaned against the door way, his blue eyes regarding her.

Gwen's face showed none of her surprise.

He'd been trying to talk to her since her return. She wasn't ready to speak, and it seemed something interrupted them each time before she could speak her objection.

"Yes?" her voice was cool and remote.

Arthur knew her deserved her coolness. It still didn't stop him from hating it. Gwen had been coolly polite with those she once knew. He couldn't blame her. He just wondered how to fix it. While he knew things could never be as they were before, he did want to make amends.

"Guinevere, I'm-"

"There you are! Gwen you know it's time to start training!" Isodole burst past Arthur into the room.

"Your right, Isodole, I merely forgot the time." Gwen replied.

Isodole looked at Arthur discerningly. "So it seems," she murmured. In a louder tone she said, "You too, Arthur, come to training. One can never be too sharp, you know."

The two women left the room. Arthur followed them, wondering when he would finally be able to speak without interruption to the woman he still loved.

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The two groups had been training separately until Gwaine asked to spar with Galahad.

Galahad, Gaheris, and Alator had come to Fyrien the following day. Alator, to Merlin's relief, did not publicly let on he recognized him or Gaius.

During their match, Gwaine found himself eating more dirt than anticipated.

That was alright, though. He knew they needed to put ego aside and work together. So far their planning sessions had been brutal. They kept butting heads. For Arthur to reclaim the throne, that had to change.

So his plan was to unite the two. Through fighting of course. The knights loved a good sparring match, and he knew the fighters from Tintagel did as well.

He'd hoped through sparring that the knights would see that they could learn something from the fighters from Tintagel.

His plan worked. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, Camelot's knights were fascinated by their fighting skill and technique.

So the knights spent the rest of that day watching them spar.

They were all fascinated with watching them, especially Guinevere.

Arthur couldn't take his eyes off her.

There wasn't a single wasted motion. Each move was precise, fluid, and forceful.

She was flawless.

He wanted to spar with her. To experience her skill firsthand.

Instinctively he knew he couldn't ask her that. Not yet.

That evening, the knights openly listened to Tristan.

"What we noticed coming into Camelot is that there are many bandits. I think these men comprise Helio's army. If you take down these men, you'll have a better chance of getting the throne back. However, they must be taken down in ways that look random, so that no one suspects it's really you behind the attacks."

Arthur nodded. This made a lot of sense.

"Also, our teams will enter Camelot to monitor how heavily guarded it is. Since you've been gone awhile now, they may be more lax in guarding things."

"I'd like at least one of my knights to accompany your team when you go."

Tristan nodded. He'd heard this from other kings before. It was a way of ensuring they were legit, and not trying to gain the throne for their own gain. Inwardly Tristan shuddered at the thought. He had no desire to be a king.

"We will prepare to leave in two days. " Everyone nodded.

While people were discussing the first trip, Gwen caught Merlin's eye. Inclining her head slightly, she left the room. He followed, wondering why she wanted to speak to him. She hadn't really spoken to anyone since her return. She spoke with Gwaine more than anyone, but he had also had more time to prove he was sorry. With everyone else she was guarded.

Stepping into the dark hallway, Merlin saw her standing by a window, her back turned towards him.

He opened his mouth but she spoke first.

"We'll talk outside, Merlin." She then walked away.

Merlin followed her outside to the beach, quite a distance from the castle.

Gwen spoke.

"Merlin when I left Camelot, you were the only person who saw me off. I appreciated that. I traveled to Escetia, then Mercia, and ended up in Tintagel. I was captured by slavers before I reached Tintagel."

Merlin's eyes widened in shock at her words.

"Isodole found me. She and Tristan were leading a revolt against Rurak, a powerful slaver at the time. They took me to Cornwall, their estate in Tintagel. There I learned how to fight. But I also learned something else." Gwen's eyes never left his.

"I met Alator, a healer and a man of magic. He is a priest of the Old Religion. He said I have the _sense_, the ability to perceive magic."

Merlin was silent.

"I can tell when people have magic and how powerful it is. Did you know that a person with my ability with a trained mind can resist magic's influence? Alator taught me to resist his, and he's very powerful." Taking a step closer to Merlin, she said, "But you're more powerful. I've never encountered magic like yours. How have you kept it a secret this long?"

Merlin was shocked at her revelation. He would not insult her by lying.

"I've always wanted to tell you. I was afraid you'd hate me. Magic took so much from you, Gwen. As far as keeping it a secret, it hasn't been easy. Now I've kept quiet for so long, I don't know how to stop keeping quiet about it."

"Merlin, I've learned that magic can be used for good or bad. You're not bad Merlin. You and Gaius have done so much to help Arthur. Arthur will feel hurt you've deceived him this way. He considers you a friend. But I think in time, it will work itself out." Merlin's brows rose at her words, but he knew Gwen was no fool.

"It's my destiny to help Arthur. Just as it is your destiny to rule by his side." The words were spoken simply and with authority, and for the first time, Gwen saw the man Merlin was meant to be.

She said nothing for a moment, looking into the ocean. Turning she said.

"There is something I must ask of you, Merlin." She decided not to address his last statement.

"What can I do for you?"

"I need to train my mind to resist your magic." Merlin opened his mouth to object but Gwen kept talking.

"You won't hurt me. Alator will show you what to do. He will even meet with us if that makes you more comfortable. Bring Gaius too. I know Morgana has magic too. I saw her use it one day long ago. When the time comes, I need to be ready. Will you help me?"

Merlin nodded.

"I will help you."

"There is one more thing."

Merlin awaited her request.

"Julian has the same ability. He can sense magic, but not how powerful the wielder is. He's been working on improving his skill. Can he join us?"

Merlin's first thought was to say no, but he realized that he wanted to observe more closely the man who had become such a large part of her new life.

Honestly, he wanted to see if Arthur still had a chance.

He knew the king still loved her. Gwen was harder to read now and she had been so guarded around them since her return.

He remembered the dragon saying her staying would ultimately be her decision. He was determined to do everything he could to convince her to stay. Even with everyone at odds, it felt _right_ for her to be here.

She had to stay.

Gwen placed her hand on his arm to get his attention.

"Thanks Merlin."

A/N: I'm glad you all are having as much fun reading as I am writing this. What's next? The confrontation. I only hope I do it justice. Hope everyone's had a great week!


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: This chapter is a bit long.

14

Arthur was learning Guinevere all over again.

She spoke her mind with ease.

She never wore purple or lavender. She wore blue, red, pink, white, virtually every color but any shade of purple.

She smiled and laughed more freely. He noticed she laughed a lot with her new friends and Merlin.

Arthur wasn't surprised that out of all of them, she reconnected with Merlin first. Like so many years ago, he'd see them with their heads together, laughing or talking about something.

He also saw her speaking quite comfortably with Gwaine. He wondered how the knight had gotten back in her good graces. One day, Gwaine offhandedly told him he had to earn her respect and that if he wanted any chance with her, he'd have to do the same.

Gaius also, like Merlin, seemed to connect with her quickly, as did Leon and Percival. Leon and Percival would spar with her and they all worked to improve themselves.

While her and her brother's relationship was quite tenuous, they were slowly working towards repairing their relationship.

Arthur felt left out. He didn't know how to approach her. She had completely transformed herself.

The worry that lurked in the back of her eyes was gone. It was replaced with a calm strength that seemed to surround her being. Nothing flustered her. She no longer spoke too quickly when she was nervous.

Her mind was sharp. He'd always known she was smart, but she had great strategies and plans. She'd actually planned several of the raids against Helio's men. They were all successful.

He did notice the things that made her who she was were still there. Her honesty, integrity, wisdom, and kindness were still there. Despite noticing these familiar aspects of her, she still felt a little out of his league. He wondered if this was the way she felt with him so many years ago.

She still hadn't spoken to him. Out of everyone, he hurt her the most. He wanted to apologize to her and he hoped she'd hear him out.

He was a sorry bastard for what he'd done to her and he knew it. So he waited for the next opportunity to speak to her when she was alone.

One morning he saw his chance. He saw her walking down the hallway alone. He stood in front of her, blocking her path, stopping her a moment. She lifted here brown eyes to him, her gaze unreadable.

Looking at her, the speech he planned flew from his mind. He said the words that had lived in his heart for a very long time regarding her.

"I am truly sorry for my actions towards you Guinevere." He paused, awaiting her response.

"You know, you used words very similar right after you banished me," Gwen's eyes briefly blazed with anger, even though her voice was quite calm.

Arthur noticed her anger and winced at her answer.

"You said you were sorry then too. What's changed?"

Looking around, Arthur saw an empty room across from them. He looked at her.

"May I speak to you in there?"

Gwen nodded. After entering the room, Arthur shut the door and faced her.

"I took you for granted and treated you horribly. Looking back, during our time together I now realize that I had the control in our relationship due to my status. It was you who took the greater risk in being with me. You stood by me through everything. My being enchanted, my father trying to kill you, and yet you cared for him for me. I rejected you and called you the wrong choice one day, and changed my mind the next and you still stood by my side. I took your kindness and love as my due. I didn't deserve you then. I am sorry Guinevere. I've done horrible wrongs towards you."

Arthur, overcome with emotion, dropped to his knees before her.

"Is there any way you can forgive me?"

Gwen turned her back for a moment. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath.

A few years ago, these words would have been enough, but they weren't anymore.

She turned around. He was still on his knees.

"Arthur there was a time when those words you just spoke would have meant everything to me. Now I see they are just words. Love is an action. It's the way you treat someone. You're right, I forgave you a lot. Why couldn't you do the same for me when I needed it? My heart was shattered when you banished me."

Arthur was silent. She walked closer to him, meeting his eyes. He could feel the anger rolling off her in waves.

"It was cold in the woods, you know. My hands were raw from pulling that cart. Every day, I heard your final words to me, over and over again in my head. Every night I was tormented with dreams of the hardness in your eyes." She began walking around him, her words falling upon him like fire.

"It took me a couple of months to realize I was enchanted. I almost came back to tell you. Then I realized that it didn't matter. You didn't want to see me. You made that abundantly clear." Finding a chair, she sat before the kneeling man, placing her face directly in front of his.

"I sold my possessions and bought a horse. My plan was to go to Tintagel. I was almost there when I felt something sting my neck one night as I was preparing my camp."

Arthur remembered when that happened to him and Merlin when they were searching for the cup of Life. His eyes widened in horror at what she was saying. Her next words confirmed his fears.

"Whatever they drugged me with paralyzed me, but before I passed out I could hear them talking about how my body would bring them a great price, and that they would surely make a great profit from me, because I was so beautiful. I later found out they'd given me a potion that removed my will from me. They use that you know, to make the women more willing." His eyes lowered in shame at her words.

That action caused her blood to boil. He was going to face this. He didn't get to look away because he felt bad. Her hand flew out, and the fine control she had been exerting snapped. His head flew back from her slap. His jaw smarted from her blow.

"LOOK AT ME ARTHUR!"

Surprise at her raised voice and slap caused him to do just that.

"I felt their hands upon me 'searching' me for weapons. There are times when I still do."

He wanted to ask, did they?

"For whatever reason, I was unharmed after that." Merlin told her about the protection spell he cast. She surmised it was the only reason things weren't worse.

"I was thrown in a cart, and Isodole found me. I've been with them ever since. Gwaine found us and now we are here. I wanted to refuse him his plea for help. I realized it would be small of me to deny help to those who needed it, no matter who they were. He told me, Gwaine did, that it took you a year…" Gwen felt her anger rising again.

"Why did it take a year for you to realize I was enchanted and lift my banishment? I was almost enslaved! You KNOW what they use women for! You sent me out with winter approaching ALONE! I WAS WITHOUT ANY PROTECTION FOR MONTHS! YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME! THAT'S NOT LOVE! YOU DID THAT TO HURT ME! GUESS WHAT! IT WORKED!" Her palms itched with the surprising desire to slap him again. She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself.

She'd never yelled at him before.

Arthur looked at her, her chest heaving with anger, eyes blazing, her fists clenching and unclenching as she glared at him. Shame washed anew through him. How he wished he had done things differently!

_If only…_

"You're right; I banished you to hurt you. I was hurting and wanted you to feel the same. You loving Lancelot was my greatest fear. He'd had your heart before, and a part of me was always afraid you could love him again. Seeing you with him that way, kissing him like that, hurt me deeply. I watched my worst fear come alive." His voice was quiet and subdued.

"Gwen I know that-"She cut him off.

"No wonder you so easily believed the worst in me. You never trusted in our love. All those years and you never …" Her voice trailed off. Leveling him with her gaze, she said, "Despite everything, I trusted you, Arthur." She moved past him to leave the room. Before leaving, she said, "I have to thank you for your banishment of me. It allowed me to see what true love and trust looks like. I know who I can trust my life with. It broke my heart two years ago to realize I couldn't trust you, not with my heart, not with my body, nor with my life." Gwen blindly swept out of the room, tears filling her eyes, slamming the door behind her.

Somehow, she found her room. Shutting the door, Gwen slid down the wall next to it and wept.

He tried to stand and follow her, but grief made him immobile. His head dropped into his hands. Again he dropped to his knees as hot, bitter tears filled his palms.

He hurt her badly. His choices nearly allowed her to lose her freedom. Somehow he had to make it right.

As he recounted her words, bile rose within him. She had been captured and nearly enslaved, at the mercy of men who could have done her great harm. He sent her away from everything familiar.

His rationale for banishment was that it kept her safe from death. She could have died anyway.

If she had perished it would have been his fault. His rash actions nearly cost him of a life he considered precious. He still loved her. Although he knew Gwen's actions towards Lancelot were engineered by magic, he would have forgiven her anyway if they weren't.

Could she forgive him?

Arthur stayed in the room a long time, deep in thought.

He didn't deserve her forgiveness.

He had to earn it.

And if, by some miracle, he earned her love again, he'd never let her go. He'd cherish her all of his days.

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She thought she'd forgiven him. Truly.

But when he dropped to his knees and apologized, Gwen felt her anger rise.

It was if nothing had changed.

In the past, Arthur would apologize and everything would be normal again.

Her accepting his words so easily was her fault. She was always a bit awed by the fact he wanted her. Just as he was afraid of losing her to Lancelot, she was afraid of losing him to someone more beautiful, more titled.

She didn't trust in him fully either. They both had a lot of insecurities.

What a mess this was.

Sighing, she went to prepare for her session with Merlin.

It went horribly. She was a mess of emotion and had a hard time concentrating.

Merlin ended the session early, and she went to the tower. It was quiet there, and she could sit and clear her mind and center her thoughts.

Arriving there, she was surprised to see Alator there.

"You expressed your thoughts and released your anger today, Guinevere. Now you will be able to fight successfully."

"It was hard, Alator. I didn't realize I was still so angry." Nodding in understanding, he gestured to the floor.

"Sit."

Gwen sat cross- legged on the stone floor. Alator sat across from her. Meeting her gaze, he spoke.

"Your words will allow him to become the king he was meant to be." Alator knew that Gwen would become Arthur's wife, but wisely he said nothing. She wasn't ready to hear it yet. Knowing Gwen well enough to know she used training to clear her head, he started their session.

"Now l want you to close your eyes and relax."

Gwen closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Soon she was calm and able to focus.

Alator raised his hand and tried to move her using magic.

Gwen resisted.

The magic pulsed stronger.

She continued to resist.

Quietly, Merlin entered. Alator nodded to Merlin and lowered his hands. Merlin didn't raise his hand, he just thought about her moving across the room.

Gwen moved an inch before recognizing the change and resisting. Both men nodded approvingly, stopping a moment.

"Good job Gwen." Merlin smiled.

Gwen said, "It seems my weakness is distraction. Merlin I need you to do that when you think I'm not paying attention. It'll help me be better prepared for sneak attacks."

Merlin simply nodded, and the trio went back to their training session.

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She sat on a rock overlooking the sea. In all of the places in Fyrien, this was her favorite place. Watching the water and listening to the waves always helped her to relax.

Today had been a trying day. She was emotionally drained.

Yelling at Arthur was the last thing she expected to happen. And slapping his face?

She still couldn't believe she'd done that. She'd never lost control that way before.

And yet, there was something quite satisfying about letting him know exactly what she'd been through. She wasn't however; proud of the fact she smacked him.

She'd spoken her mind to someone she long considered her superior. If there were any lingering doubts she had that she would return to being the subservient Gwen everyone was used to once she returned they were gone now.

During the span of her relationship with Arthur, she could never forget her place as a servant. She never quite felt like his equal.

She loved him the best way she knew how, and he did the same.

But with the two of them having to meet secretly for so long, over time it caused a major problem in their dynamic. Anything unpleasant was pushed aside in the need to see one another. Once their relationship was out in the open, they still ignored their problems and didn't voice their insecurities. That was one of the reasons Agravaine was able to influence Arthur into leaving her, even though it was only for a short time.

It was also the reason the enchantment worked so well. It played on all of her and Arthur's fears.

Closing her eyes, she listened to the sea.

She loved him still. It hadn't faded at all during their time apart.

Speaking her mind earlier also enabled her to let the past go. Now that she expressed her anger, she was able to truly forgive Arthur for his past actions.

Idly, she wondered briefly if he still loved her. Shaking her head at the thought, she knew that even if it were true, she couldn't jump into his arms as if the past few years didn't happen.

She deserved better than that.

She had to trust him, and right now she didn't.

She wondered if she ever would be able to again.

A/N: I worked on this, stopped, started over and re wrote a lot. Arwen is endgame in this story, but they had to address the past before they could move forward. It was a challenge to write this chapter. I hope I got all of the emotions right. Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: This is a lot longer than I realized. My outline has officially jumped the shark. Hope you enjoy. This chapter takes place over a long period of time.

15

Arthur had been quiet over the past few weeks. Merlin noticed he was more thoughtful, and speaking before he acted.

Many times he found him walking alone, or more prone to staring off into space.

He'd also look at Gwen when he thought she wasn't aware. Merlin noticed his gaze became more introspective when watching her.

Word got out quickly about the row they had a few weeks ago. Merlin had seen Arthur's red rimmed eyes and bruised jaw shortly after, but he didn't comment on it.

Now they seemed further apart than ever.

One morning before training, Merlin looked at Arthur and said three words.

"Talk to her."

Arthur remained silent. Merlin kept talking.

"Work at becoming friends with her again. Show her that she can trust you."

Arthur nodded slightly and headed for the door. Before he left, he turned to his friend.

"Thank you Merlin."

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If only it were that easy.

Arthur appreciated his friend's words, but he wasn't there. The anger and hurt that blazed in her eyes were front and center in his dreams each night.

_There are times when I can still feel their hands…_

His blood boiled at the fact that any man would put his hands on her in such a manner.

Then he'd remember how he shook her that day.

Walking through the castle, Arthur wondered how he could ever be forgiven.

The plans to retake Camelot were moving forward. They were slowly wearing down Helio's muscle. The outlying villages were far safer, as the remaining soldiers worked to keep the citadel protected.

Stopping at a window, Arthur looked outside.

Gwen was walking with Alator and Merlin.

She looked different that day. She was in a green dress and her unbound hair blew in the light breeze. Unconsciously, his hand touched the glass, wishing somehow his fingers were tangled in her hair instead. Touching her hair always brought him a measure of comfort. He'd bury his face in it and allow the tension he was feeling to drain away. It was one of the many things he missed about her.

They hadn't spoken since that day.

That had been over a month ago.

Finding himself back in his room, Arthur noticed the paper, ink and quill on his desk as if seeing it for the first time.

_Talk to her._ Merlin's voice rang in his thoughts.

Seating himself at his desk, he began to write.

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There were days when Gwen didn't want to train.

Today was one of them. It was a beautiful warm sunny day. There was a slight breeze from the ocean that kept the temperature just perfect.

Looking at her comrades around her, she could tell they felt the same.

Even Tristan picked up on it. Looking at the group, he held up a hand.

They all needed a break.

Tristan said, "Let's take the day off. We'll meet later to discuss our next move."

The group quickly disbanded.

Gwen was relieved.

She decided to take a walk and enjoy the weather. Later she could come back and practice.

Heading to her room, she decided to change out of her sticky clothing.

The faint smell of leather was the first thing she noticed when she entered her room. She immediately looked around for a threat. She saw none. Looking on the bed, she noticed the heavy folded paper near her pillow. Sitting on the bed, she carefully unfolded it. Arthur's heavy script filled the page.

She hadn't expected this. Arthur wrote her a letter?

Opening the paper fully, she began to read.

_Dearest Guinevere,_

_I know this may come as a surprise, but you are dear to me. I also know that my past actions towards you appeared to be the very opposite of loving. Truly, I honestly thought I was doing what was the right thing for everyone. I was hurting and I couldn't look at you without seeing your lips touch his, kissing him with passion that you'd only shown me. The council wanted to sentence you to death. I couldn't let you die, Guinevere. No matter how much hurt and anger I was feeling towards you, the idea of you not being alive…I just couldn't endure the thought of your death. _

_After hearing your words yesterday, I was reminded again of the many ways I took you for granted. My heart broke again to hear of the trials you suffered. I realize that you could have died out there. Sorry is such an inadequate word for what I feel about my actions. My heart grieves for what you went through due to my decisions. _

_I cannot tell you how many times I've wished that I could have done things differently. I asked too much of you when I asked for your forgiveness. I don't have a right to ask for anything from you. I have never encountered a woman like you Guinevere. You are strong, kind, gracious, and beautiful. I am so thankful that despite everything, you would still fight by my side for Camelot._

_Should you desire, I will continue to write to you. I humbly await your response._

_Always yours,_

_Arthur_

After reading the letter, Gwen sat in the silent room for a long time.

After dinner, Gwen met Arthur's eye. Time seemed to stop as they regarded each other. Slowly she nodded her head.

Arthur felt hope stir within his heart for the first time in a long time.

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Every few days, Gwen would find a letter from Arthur in her room. Their contents gave her an insight into the man that she never had before. Arthur laid his heart bare to her in them.

When in public, they were cordial. She couldn't ignore the intensity his eyes held when regarding her.

They never spoke of the letters. He'd had been writing them now for a few months now. Slowly, Gwen felt herself wanting more from him.

His gentle and slow wooing of her was slowly warming her heart. Not only had he written her letters, she'd noticed he'd become wiser. Gone was the Arthur who often ruled with emotion and could be a bit naïve. He'd finally found the balance between ruling with his head and heart. He treated the people around him with respect.

Shaking her head, Gwen decided to take a walk. She had a session with Merlin later and she needed to clear her head. Heading towards her favorite spot, she began walking.

She had set off a good ways when she heard footsteps behind her. Recognizing the owner, she turned around.

"Hello Arthur."

"Guinevere! I was hoping that I could…walk with you." Arthur stopped in front of her, his eyes hopeful.

_Those eyes of his are nothing but trouble_, Gwen thought to herself.

She didn't have to let him know that though.

She nodded and said, "That's fine."

Arthur fell into step with her, and the two began walking along the shoreline.

The two were quiet for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts.

Arthur was hoping he didn't mess this up. This was his first chance to speak to her since his failed apology.

"How did you learn to shoot three arrows at once?"

"Practice. It's all in how you hold each one."

"Thank you for saving my life that day."

Gwen was silent. It seemed as if saying you're welcome seemed a bit trite for such a heavy statement. Looking at him, she gave a brief nod.

Arthur seemed to understand her response. Turning his face towards her, he said, "You are an excellent fighter, Guinevere."

"Thank you."

"What made you start fighting?"

"After a few days at Cornwall, I watched the fighters train with Isodole. I was amazed when I saw women training. It reminded me of the time we all helped Merlin's village. It just seemed right for me to learn." Looking ahead, she noticed two long branches on the ground. She picked up one, and tossed the other to Arthur. He caught it, a look of surprise crossing his features.

"You know Arthur; you're the only knight of Camelot I haven't sparred with."

"You want to spar right now?"

"Now's as good a time as any. We need to be ready to face what comes. I need to see if my skills measure up to yours. You are, after all, Camelot's greatest knight." She tapped the end of her staff against his. While she didn't physically change into more of a fighting stance, Arthur noticed her mental shift. Her eyes then met his.

"Don't hold back."

Arthur nodded, more than a little curious to see how this would turn out. He'd watched her numerous times spar and move with speed and grace. His only chance of success would be to slow her down somehow.

Guinevere thought that this would be a good challenge for her. Arthur had a very straightforward fighting style. He was also quite agile and quick, despite his large frame.

The pair's eyes met, each anticipating to other to make the first move.

There was a stillness to her that he did not expect. The clear, steady gaze of hers upon him made him a bit nervous. Slowly he began to circle her with his branch extended.

She didn't move.

A part of Gwen's training was to be able to hear and feel, rather than see how the opponent would attack. It was important to remain aware of everything surrounding her at all times. Now, she could hear Arthur's footsteps moving closer, and then veering away. Her guess was that he was trying to figure out the best way to attack.

He couldn't attack if she moved first.

The swift rap of her stick against his ribs knocked him backwards, but he didn't fall. Looking at her, Arthur was a bit perturbed that it appeared as if she didn't even move. The only difference was that her stick now was in her right hand and not her left.

She was faster than he realized.

Mentally he shook himself, realizing he needed to focus. He couldn't explain it, but he knew he needed to prove himself to her.

Prove he was a man worthy of her affections.

Prove he was a man worthy to be Camelot's sovereign.

Prove that he would never again use his position in an abusive manner ever again.

The fleeting thoughts seemed ludicrous to him. How did he prove that through fighting?

And yet he knew that was what he needed to do.

Her opinion of him was the one that mattered most.

Her eyes never left his. Arthur realized that her movements now mirrored his, and they were now circling each other.

She struck at him again, but this time he was ready. Raising his staff, he blocked her blow.

The dance began.

This was harder than she thought it would be.

It was as if he was in her mind, and he knew what strike she would perform against him. He blocked every strike.

She seemed to anticipate his every move. She had a counterattack for every strike he leveled.

They were evenly matched. They had been at this for awhile, and both were sweating from their exertions.

_Crack!_ He tripped her with his branch, causing her to fall backwards. Before she hit the ground, she struck him as well. He toppled next to her.

Both were flat on their backs in the sand, breathing hard.

Neither spoke for a moment.

"Well, that was fun."

Arthur let out a dry chuckle at her words. Rolling on his side, he winced at the pain he felt on his flank as he lifted up and rested his head on his hand as his elbow supported him. Regarding Gwen, he noticed her eyes widen the merest fraction as they both realized how close they were to each other.

So she was affected by him. Arthur thought to himself.

Good.

When he first started writing her, he was extremely nervous. Like most men, he was wary about sharing his emotions. It was more than a bit unnerving to write out the inner things of his heart; even though it was to the woman he loved. It made him feel extremely vulnerable.

Over the past few months, her demeanor changed towards him.

She was no longer indifferent towards him. That was the first barrier broken.

Now, he had been granted with the privilege of her presence for more than a few minutes. He didn't care that he literally had to fight for it. Being here with her was worth every sore muscle and bruise he obtained from their spar.

He was also gaining the trust of her friends as well. They no longer looked at him with anger. One day, when he saw both Tristan and Isodole nodding with approval over a major decision he'd made, he knew he'd turned a corner in their relationship with them.

A rebellious curl sprung from her now messy braid. As if his fingers had a mind of its own, they captured it. A sigh of pleasure escaped both of them.

She felt his eyes upon her like a touch. She suppressed the urge to shiver when he leaned fully over her, his arms creating a loose cage around her. Slowly his head leaned down.

Her eyes fluttered shut as a soft sigh slipped from her lips.

His lips touched her forehead, and then her temple, before he finally buried his face in her hair. Pulling her close, his joy was complete when her arms circled around him, returning his embrace.

The two remained that way for a long time.

A/N: What's next? Gwen tells Arthur about her ability to sense magic.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: A bridge chapter.

16

"Arthur, there is something I must tell you."

The two sat upon her rock, surrounded by the sounds of the night.

Once they held one another, they were reluctant to let the other go.

"What is it Guinevere?" Arthur asked lowly, his face still buried in her hair. He freed it from her braid earlier, and his fingers gently stroked the long tresses. Her head rested upon his shoulder.

She didn't want to look at him when she confessed this.

"When I started training, it was intense. I found out something about myself."

Arthur continued idly playing in her hair. Gwen felt him nod his head against her before he spoke.

"Go on."

"I can sense magic."

Slowly, Arthur moved his head, his mind swirling with thoughts.

_How can one sense magic? Does that mean she's magic?_

Facing each other now, Arthur's hands encircled her arms as he lowered his face to see her more clearly.

Gwen's eyes looked down at his hands, and then back at him.

Arthur lowered his hands slowly. He placed them upon his knees. He took a deep breath to collect his thoughts.

"What does this mean Guinevere?"

"It means that I while I don't have magic myself, I can sense when a person has magic and how strong it is. I can also resist its power, now that my mind has been trained. Alator taught me how."

"Alator has magic, doesn't he." It was a statement spoken with certainty.

"Yes he does."

"Does anyone else around us have magic?"

"Yes, they do." Gwen hoped he wouldn't ask who. She wasn't telling him about Merlin. She felt that Merlin's abilities were his to reveal. She did realize that Arthur would feel betrayed by him keeping it a secret for so many years. She also knew that her keeping such a large secret from him could potentially raise old issues. She decided to be as honest as she could.

Arthur looked at her then, his blue eyes penetrating hers.

"You won't tell me who it is, will you."

She shook her head firmly. "It's not my place to."

"Then why tell me this? You know how I feel about magic! It's evil and it corrupts! Look at Morgana!"

"Has Alator hurt you?" Gwen answered." Magic itself isn't evil Arthur. And Morgana's heart was twisted a long time before her powers were unleashed. Your father blamed magic for killing your mother. But Arthur, Uther was desperate for an heir, he knew the risks. The consequences were too great for him and he slaughtered people as a result."

Arthur opened his mouth to speak, but Gwen continued.

"I know better than anyone the destructive use of magic. It took away my father and nearly had me executed twice. It was used to enchant a bracelet that was the root cause of our separation. But I have seen magic heal, help, and protect people. It can be used for good, Arthur. Whenever this person decides to reveal his secret to you, remember that."

She stood, and began rebraiding her hair. Once she was finished, she observed the set jaw. He was angry. _Stubborn man,_ Gwen thought to herself.

"I told you because I didn't want any secrets between us. They destroyed us last time."

Seeing that his stubborn expression remained unchanged, Gwen began walking back towards the castle.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to the castle, we've been gone awhile. I don't want anyone to worry."

She kept walking.

Arthur sighed and followed her, his mind trying to absorb what Gwen was telling him.

Someone around him, someone close to him, had magic.

Who could it be?

Surely not Merlin, he thought, he's such an idiot sometimes. His mind ran through his knights. He had no idea who it the person was.

Gwen's words hit him hard. She was right about his father. He was astounded to find out that Morgause was actually truthful about the circumstances surrounding his birth. His father made that startling confession before he died. Uther made the choice to use magic, and countless people suffered from the tragic consequences from it. He had been raised to believe magic was wrong. So had she. For her to say that it could be used for good was a shock to him.

Magic was the cause of his mother and both of their fathers perishing.

It was the reason behind her banishment.

It would be easy for him to continue to hate something he really didn't understand. But if Guinevere could change her views and boldly defend its use, he realized that maybe he should try to understand it better.

He also realized that she placed a tremendous amount of trust in him by telling him about her skill in the first place. He didn't want to lose ground with her. Her growing trust in him was a gift he never wanted to abuse.

"Guinevere."

She paused and slowly turned to face him. He closed the distance between them with a few steps. That one curly lock of hair touched the side of her face. Reaching out, he pushed it behind her ear, allowing the tips of his fingers to savor the softness of her skin. Her hand reached up to meet his, stilling his movements.

"Thank you for confiding in me. I know that could not have been easy."

"As I said before, I desire no secrets between us." They were now in the castle, standing in an alcove.

"What is it you desire Guinevere?" Stepping closer, one arm reached out for her, his large hand gently encircled one wrist and pulled her near. Once she was closer to him, his hands settled on her waist.

His nearness to her was turning her mind to ruin. She could feel the heat of his skin radiating through his clothing and into hers. His warmth surrounded her like a cloud, and she found she wanted nothing more than to lean closer and bask in it.

This was moving far too fast, she thought to herself. She needed to get away and think and breathe, all of which seemed impossible to do at the present moment. She remembered their former courtship as being sweet and gentle. Sure her pulse would skip when he was near. She remembered his tender embraces making her feel comforted and cherished. In his arms now she still felt all of those things, but now there was another dimension added to it as well. She didn't know what to make of these heart pounding emotions that rose to the surface when he was near.

Looking up at Arthur, she felt goosebumps emerge from her skin from the warm look he was regarding her with.

Her next words surprised him…and her as well.

"There is much I desire, Arthur." Did she just say that? Was that her voice sounding slightly breathless?

It couldn't be.

A small smile played on the edges of his lips at her words.

"Is that so Guinevere? If it pleases you, tell me just one of your many desires." His teasing was gentle as he somehow pulled her closer. She felt her pulse hammering wildly in her throat. It only increased when he laid his fingers upon it.

Giving herself a mental shake, she continued, "I desire for you to keep an open mind and heart about the use of magic. I know that's asking a lot of you-"

"I will." Arthur's simple statement surprised her. Reaching down, she joined her hands with his. Squeezing his hands a little caused him to remove his hands from her waist.

"Thank you Arthur."

Turning away, she headed to her room. She needed to think.

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Arthur watched her until she disappeared from his view. Then he began walking, his footsteps taking him to a part of the castle that he rarely ventured.

The door to Alator's room was open, and the man stood with his back to him.

"She told you of her skill?" The man's voice filled the silent air. Arthur was surprised for a moment that Alator knew, but he reminded himself that the man was a sorcerer and could do such things.

"She did. She says you have magic as well."

The action of the door slamming behind him without either of them touching it confirmed his words.

Slowly, Alator turned to face him, allowing the golden light in his eyes to remain seen by the king. Arthur tried to hide his fear, but Alator didn't miss the flash in his eyes.

"You have nothing to fear from me, Arthur Pendragon. I am here to help you reclaim your throne."

"Why would you help me? My father and I have caused nothing but hurt and trouble for your kind."

"You are the Once and Future King, Arthur Pendragon. You and Emrys will unite Albion and bring her into a peace she has never seen."

"Who is this Emrys?"

"Emrys has magic unlike any other. He will help you usher in peace."

Arthur nodded. This all felt a bit surreal to him. He'd never spoken to anyone who showed their ability to him before. He also couldn't have imagined that magic would be a part of his future.

"Guinevere said that you teach her how to shield herself from magic's influence. Can anyone learn that?"

"Only those with the ability to perceive magic in others can shield themselves from it."

"Will her gift put her in danger?"

"She can take care of herself."

Arthur knew this was true. She had great skill; he'd experienced it today and witnessed it many times. Even though he knew this, the desire to protect her from harm was strong within him.

"The lady and I train tomorrow. Come and watch so you can learn more." Alator then turned away, opening a book on the table and turning its pages.

Sensing that the discussion was over, Arthur left the room and headed for his own.

Merlin was in there, putting his clothes away.

"Arthur where have you been? You've been gone all day! "

"I spent the day with Guinevere."

Merlin nearly opened his mouth to tease him, but the happiness he glimpsed in Arthur's eyes shut it.

"Good," Merlin replied. "If you don't need anything else, I'll see you in the morning."

"I'm good Merlin, thanks." Merlin left the room.

Arthur readied himself for bed. Once settled, he closed his eyes and thought of her. Still able to recall the scent of her hair and the feel of it between his fingers, Arthur fell asleep with dreams of holding her in his arms throughout the night.


	17. Chapter 17

17

She loved to make her own arrows.

Ever since she began training with the bow and crossbow, she learned to care for her weapons. Tristan had taught her that a fighter must always take care of the tools that kept him safe. She made her arrows by hand, and she found that being the daughter of a blacksmith was quite useful. Having a basic knowledge of weaponry, she easily understood the craft of making her arrows sleek and light. Her bow and crossbow were made for her hands alone. When she used them, it was as if they were an extension of her arms.

"You were gone for quite a while yesterday." Gwen looked up at the sound of her sister's voice.

Isodole sat down next to her, her keen green eyes assessing her.

"Arthur looked quite cheerful this morning." There was a hint of a question in her statement.

Gwen met her eyes squarely.

"I ran into him walking yesterday. He asked to accompany me. I sparred with him and it was rather frustrating, Isodole. I couldn't get the upper hand."

"Who won?"

"It was a draw." Gwen frowned a bit after speaking the words aloud.

"So you're telling me that you spent all day _sparring_? Is that what they call it nowadays?"

A light blush graced Gwen's face at her friend's gentle teasing.

The gentle intimacy of his face in her hair was a memory Gwen wanted to keep to herself. It was too special to share.

Aloud she said, "We talked. I told him about my talent."

Isodole's eyebrows rose at her words.

"How'd he take that?"

"Not well at first. But I explained that I didn't want secrets between us. They destroyed us last time."

"So you are going to take him back?"

"I don't know. I love Arthur, but is love enough? It wasn't last time. There was so much insecurity between us and while I loved him, I was always worried he'd realize he could do better than me and marry a woman of noble birth. It took me awhile for me to even believe that he could love me. Often I wondered what exactly it was he saw in me. He was worried another man who didn't have some of the restrictions he had when it came to marriage, like Lancelot would come and marry me before he would find a way to be able to. Now I've been gone for so long, and I'm not the same woman I was before. Being with you and Tristan and the fighters has been what I needed for so long, though I didn't realize it at the time. I found my worth fighting and helping others. I figured out what kind of woman I am in Tintagel. I just don't want Arthur to think that we can just go back to what we were because we can't." Gwen exhaled a large breath following her words.

"Much has changed for the two of you, Gwen," her friend countered. "He's gone through many changes also. I'll admit that I wasn't fond of Arthur at first. He was a bit cocky and self-absorbed. He's grown a great deal over these past ten months since we've been here. I would like to think his growth began when he lost the kingdom." Clasping Gwen's hands within her own, she continued.

"And you! You came to us so heartbroken and sad. You've found your strength. You've refined yourself into a remarkable woman. You didn't let your trials keep you downcast. If you choose to, I think that you and Arthur could have a good life together. In many ways, you remind me of Tristan and I."

Gwen had seen the love and respect the two of them had for one another. She was a bit awed that Isodole thought her and Arthur could have anything remotely similar.

"I've seen the way he looks at you. He loves you Gwen. He's worked hard to prove himself worthy of you. I daresay he's still working hard. Have the two of you talked about being together yet?" Gwen shook her head.

"Before I left, I felt loved when Arthur held me. I still do, but the intensity of what I feel for him scares me. I can't seem to put a lid on it when he's near. I feel like there is something within me that comes alive when we're together." Gwen's voice was soft as she spoke aloud the thoughts she had about Arthur for the first time. It was still remarkable to her that she could discuss what she was feeling so openly.

"You've grown the heart of a woman, Gwen, and with that kind of heart comes passion." Isodole remarked simply, her face pensive."The love you described with Arthur before was that of a first love, which is gentle and full of sweetness. Now that the two of you have grown, the love is still there, and the passion the two of you share is more palpable between the two of you than it was before." She noticed her sister nod her head at her words. One thing she noticed about Gwen over the years was the control she obtained over showing how she felt about things. She'd rarely seen it slip. Isodole figured it was a result of feeling as if there were so many things in her life she couldn't control during her time as a servant. In every situation Gwen kept a cool head. She was methodical in her planning and fighting. The desire she was feeling for Arthur was something she couldn't easily contain, and it was bothering her a little.

Gwen would have to realize on her own that loving another would not make her weak, but stronger.

Gwen looked at the placement of the sun outside the window and realized it was time to go.

"I must leave, Isodole. Alator's expecting me." Rising, Gwen gave her a hug.

"Thanks for talking to me." Isodole smiled in return.

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Gwen was surprised to see Arthur at her training session with Alator.

Arthur saw the briefest flash of shock in her eyes at seeing him there. He didn't know why she was surprised. He told her he'd keep an open mind about this.

Alator warned him about these sessions.

"Arthur it gets very intense in here. No matter what happens, do not interfere. Do I have your word?"

Grudgingly, Arthur nodded.

Soon after his promise, she entered the room. Before she could say anything, Alator spoke.

"Young Pendragon wishes to see what you can do. I saw no issues in honoring his request."

Alator figured the challenge of another in the room would help his charge train.

Distractions, as she stated, were her weakness after all.

As she nodded, Alator raised his hand.

Arthur could feel the powerful burst of magic emanating from the man aimed at her. He was amazed to see Gwen remain still in spite of his attack.

"Good Guinevere." Alator said. "Let's practice rebounding. I'll start small."

Rebounding was the ability to not only block magic, but to send it's force back to its user. Gwen was just beginning to improve with the skill.

She nodded and they began.

Arthur winced when the sorcerer's magic hit her, causing her to skid backwards a bit, her side bumping into a table. Gripping his hands into fists, he realized that keeping his word was going to be quite hard. He hated seeing her hurt.

She quickly recovered and they continued.

Only when both were too exhausted to continue did the session end.

Gwen lay on the stone floor, her limbs too heavy to move. Rebounding was hard, but she was confident she'd improve with it in time.

The final siege was only a few months away.

Arthur sat next to her, worry creasing his brow. He had no idea she worked this hard. He felt a wave of admiration sweep over him at her drive. Watching the two of them, Arthur realized that the sorcerer could have kept knowledge of Gwen's gift away from her. Instead, he helped her. The Druids were the same. They always helped others. Perhaps there were more people who used magic for good rather than evil.

He heard her stir. Slowly Gwen sat up and stretched.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm quite fine, Arthur. This takes a lot out of me from time to time, that's all." She made an attempt to stand, but Arthur was faster as he gently helped her to her feet. She turned grateful eyes towards his.

"Thank you. I'm going to rest before our meeting tonight."

"I'll walk you to your room." There was something in his tone that brooked no argument. Gwen looked at him oddly before nodding.

"You look a bit tired and I just want to make sure you make it to your room without falling over," Arthur explained.

"Alator, I'll see you later." Gwen said. She exited from the room, with Arthur following, his hand resting lightly on the small of her back.

All too soon they were at her door. Gwen looked at Arthur with tired eyes. He looked over her with more than a little concern.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Nothing a nap won't fix. Alator pushed me hard today. It's good though. Our final battle is not far off and I need to be ready."

Arthur looked down at her. His hand reached out, his finger tips casually brushing her soft cheek. Slowly he leaned forward, and as he had the night before, kissed her forehead. Straightening, he said.

"Rest well, Guinevere."

After nodding, the lady shut her door.

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They were all in the main hall.

"We've made great strides against Helios' men," Arthur began. "The outlying villages surrounding Camelot are now safe again. It is now time to begin our final strike against Morgana."

"It has taken us months of planning to get to this point. I am beyond thankful for all of the help I've received from old friends and new."

Arthur met the eye of each knight and Tintagel fighter. Each met his with mutual respect.

"Our first step is to ascertain how many men Helios has left fighting for him. Julian, Gwaine, Galahad and Gaheris will find that out."

The three men nodded in agreement.

"Meanwhile, we will see how guarded Camelot is. Tristan, Isodole, Guinevere, Alator, and I will go to the citadel." He then looked at the knights. "Gather our men and tell them that our final strike will occur thirty days from now. We will head out in the morning and return in a week's time. Understood?"

Everyone nodded.

"Let's get some rest. We have an early start in the morning."

The group dispersed and everyone headed to their rooms.

"He's come far," Tristan whispered to his wife. Isodole nodded in response. Tristan was proud of Arthur. This time in exile had caused the displaced king to grow in confidence and humility. He was ready for the throne.

He was also worthy of a young woman he considered his sister.

Tristan felt as if he should look out for Gwen's welfare. He knew the woman was quite capable of looking after herself, but he was of the thought that if a father was gone, then a brother should look after his unmarried sister. Since there was still a bit of strain between Gwen and her brother, he considered the task his undertaking. He was now confident that Arthur would take the finest care of her. The king looked at her the way he looked at his own wife.

He watched as Gwen left the room. Arthur quickly followed.

Tristan smirked. He was expecting a talk from Arthur soon.

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Guinevere heard Arthur's familiar loping gait behind her. She turned.

"Arthur," Her greeting was warm.

"How do you always know that it's me?" She smiled cheekily.

"I have my ways." Arthur grinned at her light tone.

"Are you feeling better?" Gwen nodded.

"Oh I feel fine, thanks for asking. I was actually heading for a quick walk. Would you like to join me?"

Arthur was thrilled at her invitation. As if he'd ever turn her down.

"Of course I would . Let's head out before it gets too late."

The pair walked outside. The moon's light shimmered on the water. Finding her rock, Gwen sat and patted the place next to her. Arthur sat down.

Both were silent for a moment, each taking time to enjoy the peaceful night.

"Out of all of Fyrien, this is my favorite spot," Gwen said.

"How so?"

"It's quiet here. The sound of the ocean is soothing to me." Arthur nodded at her words in agreement. This spot was quite peaceful.

"I hope things go well with scouting the citadel," Arthur said as he looked over the sea. His voice carried a faint tinge of worry.

Gwen reached over and squeezed his hand.

"We will work hard to make sure it is so," she said.

"Thanks are not enough for what you and the friends you brought have done for me and Camelot. I had nearly lost all hope of reclaiming her before you returned that day. Now we are so close and I hope we are successful."

It had become easier for him to talk openly about the way he was feeling to her. She was the only person who saw the man beneath the monarch. He lay one hand on top of hers, feeling his heart expand with love. He looked at her.

The light of the moon shimmered on her skin. Her face was serene as she looked out at the water.

She finds rest here, Arthur thought to himself. He wondered if he could create a place for her like this in Camelot.

He would never tire of gazing at her. His greatest wish was that she was the first sight he looked upon in the morning and the last vision he saw when lying down for the rest of his days.

His fingers found her braid and began to softly follow the weaving pattern. As his hand found the end near her waist, he gently drew her to him. He was so thankful that he was finally able to hold her in his arms again. He worked hard for the privileges she was granting him and he vowed silently to himself that he would do whatever was necessary to be able to remain and build upon the favor she was now showing him.

Arthur's head found his favorite spot in her hair. He sighed with contentment as he inhaled her scent. She burrowed herself against him, her face in the crook of his neck.

He felt his tension drain away. Every day he would count himself blessed to hold her like this.

He wanted her to be his wife. She was his home.

There was such a comfort she only found in his arms. He was her home.

She loved his courage, strength, and generous heart. She was immensely proud of the man he'd become. Isodole was right, she thought to herself. We're different now. Perhaps instead of going back, we can start here and move forward.

She was already amazing to him. Now she was more so. Guinevere was beautiful, but it was her inner beauty that drew him to her. He marveled at her tenacity, her ability to see the best in everyone, and her wisdom. There were so many reasons why he loved her.

Both knew everything about the other and accepted it as a part of who they were.

Moving his face from her hair, he looked down into her eyes. Time stopped as they looked upon each other. His hand reached to cup her face, and his thumb began to stroke her lower lip._ So soft,_ he thought as his forehead touched hers. Her lips touched his thumb with a gentle kiss. He inhaled sharply, feeling a low hum of desire begin to move through him. Her hand moved to his face and her thumb slowly began to stroke his lip, her movements matching his. Playfully he nipped at her thumb, and he was rewarded by a small gasp, while her eyes shone with surprise at this action. He did it again, and this time, his mouth moved downward to the center of her palm. Planting a kiss there, he moved back to her thumb, his forehead touching hers again.

Her thumb burned and she couldn't seem to stop kissing his. She felt her control slowly start to surrender to the building heat within her.

Gently he started rubbing his nose against hers.

She felt her breath quicken. She wasn't sure how much more she could take from him and he hadn't even kissed her yet.

"Arthur…" She released his name on a breathless sigh.

"Hmmm?" His voice was a low rumble as his lips touched the corner of hers.

"What are you doing to me?" She whispered. She felt his lips now caress her cheek in a feather light kiss. She shuddered against his broad frame. His reply was simple.

" Only loving you, Guinevere." His kisses felt heavenly, she thought as he continued to administer those light touches across her cheek.

"You love me?" she asked softly.

"Loving you is like breathing Guinevere. I can never stop loving you. I tried. It doesn't work. I will love you until I die. Even then I won't stop." His gentle kisses found a sensitive spot behind her ear. As she felt herself melt into his embrace, she knew she had to speak before her thoughts completely flew from her head.

"I love you Arthur. I never stopped, I-"

His lips claimed hers. There was nothing gentle about his kiss. It gave and asked for everything from her at the same time.

She gasped at his intensity, parting her lips further and he deepened the kiss. His mouth continued to move against hers, finding a slow rhythm that made her senses swim as he pulled her closer to him. His fingers found the soft skin on the back of her neck, and a sigh escaped her lips as he gently stroked her there. She twisted her hands in his hair, pulling him closer.

A low groan escaped him as he pulled her onto his lap. She felt far more wonderful than he ever dreamed. He didn't want to move too fast, and if they kept this up, he'd be even more tempted to ignore the honorable intentions he had towards her. He wanted her to be his wife before he made love to her, and even though they had gotten a little carried away just then, he knew she felt the same. It was with great effort he tore his lips from hers. Wrapping his arms around her, he rested his face in the hollow of her neck. With her hands still in his hair, she laid her head against the spot where his neck and shoulder met.

He took a deep breath to steady himself. Her mouth was sweeter than the finest wine. Even now, with his control hanging by a mere thread, he wanted another taste. _Later,_ he told himself. Pulling back, he gazed at her, taking in her swollen lips, flushed cheeks, and soft eyes.

Her eyes were shining with love for him again. It was the greatest gift he could ever receive from her. Taking her hand, he laid her palm flat against his chest where his heart lay.

"This belongs to you, Guinevere. It always has and it always will." His blue eyes gazed into hers, the love in them evident for her to see.

She found her eyes blurring with tears. Quickly she blinked them away, and with her free hand, she reached for his hand and laid it beneath her collarbone above her own heart.

"As mine is yours, Arthur. As mine is yours."

A/N: Gah, these two! I'm such a fan. I watched 4x12 and it was great! Thanks for the reviews, story alerts, and all. You guys are awesome!


	18. Chapter 18

18

He wanted to ask her to marry him. He didn't want to waste any time. After that night beneath the moon, Arthur and his love talked, each speaking of their concerns about what lay ahead for them. Both knew that they were different people than they were a few years before. Time and experience changed them, although the love they had for each other never faded. They made a mutual decision to move forward and continue to learn the new things about the other.

They also decided to learn from the past. Communication had to remain open in order for this relationship to work. Respect for the other person was a must. And any disagreements remained between them. There would be much scrutiny of them once Arthur was king again, and it felt better to know that there were some things between them that would be kept private.

Arthur remembered walking into the castle with her, their hands intertwined. Merlin was the first to see them, and a huge grin split his face upon seeing them together.

"That sure was a long walk," Merlin quipped as he winked at the two. Before Arthur could comment on what an idiot his manservant was, Gwen spoke.

"Wasn't it? The fresh air did us a world of good." Gwen disengaged her fingers from his. Arthur frowned a little before reaching forward and pulling her back against him.

"I'm going to pack," Gwen said, answering his unspoken question. "Something you need to be doing as well."

"That's what I have Merlin for," Arthur drawled as he leaned forward a little, allowing the scent of her hair to drift to his nose.

Merlin rolled his eyes.

"Don't be lazy Arthur. Besides, you also need to make sure all of your weapons are ready." Gwen shifted away from him a little, turning so that their eyes met.

"I'll see you in the morning."

Arthur nodded and before he could stop himself, he leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss.

"Until then Guinevere." Arthur said as he slowly released her hand.

"Goodnight, Arthur." Turning her head, she nodded at Merlin.

"Goodnight." Arthur watched her walk away. Once she was out of view, he turned to his friend.

"Merlin, I need you to-"Merlin held up his hand, stopping his speech.

"The rings are ready," Merlin said simply. "They are in a box in your drawer."

"How did you know?" Arthur asked.

"A blind man could see you love each other. I daresay the bond that you two have has only become stronger over time and not weaker." Merlin said.

Arthur was a bit speechless at this. Looking at his friend he said, "Thank you Merlin."

That was a few days ago. Arthur had taken the rings and put them on a chain around his ankle. He was going to ask Gwen to marry him, but only after he spoken to Tristan and Isodole. While they weren't her parents, they were a big part of her life. While Gwen and Elyan were speaking, their relationship wasn't the same yet. Elyan resented Gwen's closeness to Tristan and Isodole, and while Gwen tried to explain that she loved them all, he didn't want to listen. Arthur believed it was leftover guilt at the way he abandoned his sister in her time if need and a bit of jealousy over the fact she didn't come to him with things anymore now that she was back was the root cause of his antagonistic behavior.

Gwen had explained to him that it was a bit of an old habit. This was the longest Elyan had stayed anywhere, she said, and she was so used to him being in and out of her life that she couldn't really rely on him with her issues. She was used to doing things on her own. Until her brother could see that she had changed, their relationship would continue to be at an impasse.

Arthur looked ahead. They were now about half a day away from Camelot.

He was a bit nervous about seeing the citadel. It had been awhile since he'd laid eyes on it himself. They had sent different groups to check on the progress of things, but he knew seeing it for him would be different from the reports he received, no matter how detailed they were.

They made the decision to walk, with the rationale that they didn't want to worry about hiding a horse. It was easier to blend in if there was nothing about you particularly distinguishing.

Dusk was approaching, and the party made camp. Tristan, Isodole, Alator, Gwen, Arthur, and Merlin made camp, each doing their assigned task.

While everyone was busy, Arthur approached Tristan.

"I know this may be a crazy time to do this, but I've come to ask for Guinevere's hand."

Tristan inclined his head, and the two men walked a bit away from camp before the older man spoke.

"Guinevere is an independent woman. Why ask me?"

"You are a big part of her life. I want to know if you have any objections before I ask her. Your thoughts matter to her a great deal, and to me as well. I wouldn't be here if not for your help."

Tristan looked unseeingly ahead for a few moments before he spoke.

"I remember the look upon your face when you realized she saved your hide all those months ago. The love was still there. I was surprised by that. From what I heard, you were a bit priggish, arrogant, spoiled, and self centered. I wondered how a man who said he loved a woman could send her out that way. Deep down from the start, you knew it was a mistake, didn't you?" Tristan saw him nod.

"I saw the love and regret in your eyes that day. I also noticed our Gwen ignored you. I couldn't blame her though. "

"Neither could I," Arthur agreed.

"She ignored you awhile, and then you had that fight. Smacked the snot out of you, didn't she? And then I noticed the two of you changing. You became a man and she started softening towards you. What did you do?"

"I wrote her, and realized I needed to change a few things about myself. I thought about the man and king I desire to be and I saw that I was far from it at the time. I told her things I've never told another in the letters I've been writing. I wanted her to know I trusted her by sharing the deep thoughts in my heart. I wanted her to see that I honored her by giving her space to think instead of me just talking about my wants all the time. I wanted her to see I respected her by listening to what she had to say. Earning her love has been the hardest and most rewarding task I've ever undertaken. Even if I lose Camelot forever, as long as she's with me…" Arthur's voice trailed off.

Tristan nodded in understanding.

"If you'd asked me this question months ago, I'd have told you to try back in another six months," Tristan said, his eyes serious. "But you're a man now, a man who knows how to handle great responsibility and treat people with respect. You'll be good for her, and she for you. So ask her. I know Isodole agrees with me about this." He held out his hand. Arthur shook it firmly.

"Welcome to the family, Arthur."

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Arthur set his bedroll as close to hers as he could without earning a raised eyebrow from Isodole.

He hoped that he would be able to hold her close soon.

He hoped she'd say yes.

Before leaving the castle when under attack, Arthur grabbed some of his mother's jewelry. The simple pearl and diamond ring was one of her favorites, according to his father. It was radiant, lustrous, and elegant-just like her.

He decided to ask her after this mission.

He had no idea who'd marry them. Geoffery performed all of the marriages in Camelot, and Arthur wanted them married before the siege somehow. He'd spoken of these concerns to Merlin and Tristan, and they told him they would take care of it.

A soft sound roused him from his thoughts. He turned towards Guinevere.

She moved restlessly in her sleep, and she looked as if she was having a bad dream.

He wondered if he should wake her when another low cry escaped her. It sounded as if she were in pain. Arthur reached over and shook her gently.

"Wake up Guinevere."

Her eyelids fluttered but she didn't wake.

Leaning over so that she could hear him, he tried again.

"It's time to wake up, Gwen."

With a gasp she rose and sat up. She blinked, as her eyes attempted to focus.

"Arthur?" she asked sleepily.

"You were crying out in your sleep a little. Did you have a bad dream?" He whispered. Everyone else was asleep. The fire was low, and the embers still glowed, the dim light allowing him to see her troubled face.

Her eyes had a haunted look in them.

"What's wrong?"

"I dreamt of Morgana. There is such darkness within her…" It was hard for her to put into words exactly what she was feeling.

Arthur pulled her into his arms. His hands gently rubbed her arms and back in a comforting manner. Turning her head, she spoke softly into his ear.

"I dreamt of us in a field, you and I. We were together the way we were a few nights ago on the rock."

Arthur nodded with the thought that he'd been having dreams like hers for a while now. Unconsciously, he pulled her closer.

"Then Morgana came. She attacked you and I wasn't able to stop her in time. I can't bear the thought of you hurt, Arthur."

"Gwen I promise I'll be careful. We are only scouting things out in order to plan our final attack."

"I know. It's just that her eyes were so cold and empty. I could feel her magic in my dream Arthur, and it's was powerful and dark…the darkest I've ever seen."

"Perhaps you can talk to Alator in the morning."

A flash of an idea flew into her mind, and since Arthur was still holding her close, he missed the pensive expression on her face.

"You're right. I'll speak to him about this."

"Let's get a little rest before dawn." Kissing her quickly, they both lay down to rest.

Morning came, and as everyone set off, Gwen walked with Alator.

"I dreamt of the witch last night," Gwen said.

Alator remained silent, and Gwen continued to speak.

"When I rebound Alator, do you think I could shield those around me as I did it?"

Alator frowned at her words.

"What you speak of is dangerous Gwen. It could kill you if done incorrectly."

"Will you show me how to do it correctly? Then the chances of my dying become that much smaller."

Alator knew what his friend wasn't saying. She wanted to protect Arthur, and others who were dear to her, and would use her life if necessary to keep them all safe.

He remembered meeting Morgana all too well. Her magic was as black as her soul. Her darkness fed her magic, and made it all the more detrimental when she used it. Gwen had to be ready, even if it meant she practiced this dangerous work. Gwen had amazing ability and if anyone could survive Morgana's attacks, it was she.


	19. Chapter 19

19

The city swarmed with men. Helios still had a formidable force, but Arthur felt as if the playing field was more level than it was than even a few months ago. His heart broke at the sight of the disrepair of the citadel and the broken people living within it.

He was concerned that people would recognize him instantly. It was needless. He wore none of Camelot's true colors of red and gold, and his clothing of trousers, a vest, and a long coat with a belt allowed him to blend in with the crowds. He also carried himself differently. He moved with power and authority, even though he was without his former aura of nobility. People, intimidated by him, stayed out of his way and averted their eyes from his.

Knowing the city, he and Guinevere scouted the castle walls with a plan to meet the rest of the group outside the city. Making it through with ease, Arthur noted the number of men, what weapons they possessed and any possible holes in their patrol. Gwen was doing the same on the opposite side.

They were supposed to meet in an alley near the west side of the fortress. It had been a few minutes and there was no sign of her. He started to worry. She was never late. Circling carefully and remaining among the shadows, Arthur began looking for her.

He found her pressed against a wall in a dim alley with a man towering over her.

She was dressed in a yellow and cream dress with worn shoes, a disguise to blend in. He remembered her argument about not wanting to attract attention. Her hair was loose, the thick curly waves pulled back by a string.

Anger rose in him. This man was going to pay for touching her.

Later. Right now they had to play this smart. No advantages needed to be seen unless absolutely necessary. Slowly he came upon them, hearing their conversation.

"You are a pretty thing, woman," he heard the large man say. "Far too pretty to be dressed in these rags. Come with me, and I will dress you in fine silks and as my woman, you will lack for nothing."

Bile rose in Gwen's throat. Was he serious?

He wouldn't be an easy man to take down. She had to think her way out of this. She saw a flash of golden hair and smiled inwardly. She hoped he'd play along.

"I can't sire. My master told me to wait here for him." Gwen's voice sounded desperate and afraid as she shrank back from the man in what she hoped looked fearful. The larger man loomed closer, a calculating light in his eyes as he perused her form.

"I am Helios, my lady. I think I shall acquire you for myself. I don't see your 'master' anywhere."

At the mention of his name, both Arthur and Gwen stiffened. He was tall, with brown skin and large muscles. Anyone could see he was a fierce warrior.

They had to tread carefully. They were fortunate Helios had never seen Guinevere at all or Arthur up close.

The man grabbed her arm and started pulling her towards him. Guinevere pretended to struggle against his hold.

"Please milord, I beg you to leave me be!"

"Where is your master? Are you lying to me wench?" Arthur strode forward, careful to keep his face in the shadows. Grabbing her around the waist, he pulled her from Helios' grasp. Pushing her against the wall, he spoke into her ear, using the dimness of the alley to hide himself from the warrior.

"Forgive me."

Aloud he said, "Were you trying to escape me again? I told you there would be consequences for your disobedience, slave."

His nearness made her shudder convincingly. Timidly she looked up at him.

"No, no sir, I was standing here like you told me to-I" His fingers grasped her jaw and he pulled her face towards his. His voice was low and menacing.

"What did I tell you about lying to me?" She dropped her eyes in submission as she sighed in seeming defeat.

Helios watched the exchange but said nothing for a moment.

Then he spoke.

"She belongs to you then?"

"She does," Arthur answered.

"Is she…pleasurable?"

His eyes bored into hers as he spoke aloud, "She brings me great pleasure. She is quite responsive and accommodating," He pushed himself against her, his stance showing his dominance over her as one large hand rested on her throat. Her eyes widened as he gently squeezed it, the surprise pressure creating a pleasurable sensation within her. A gasp escaped her before she could stop herself.

Gwen eyed Arthur. _ He's actually enjoying this_, she thought to herself. She was a bit too, if she was honest with herself.

"How much for her? I will give you gold. I want to experience her pleasure for myself." Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly at his words.

"She's not for sale," Arthur's voice was flat.

There was a note of finality in the man's voice that Helios couldn't ignore.

"It was worth a try," he said. Nodding his head towards them, he began walking out of their line of vision, but where he could still see them. Instinct told him that they should be watched closely.

Arthur still held her close. He was relieved she was alright. Helios left too easily. Gwen voiced her suspicions.

"I think he's still close, watching us", she whispered.

"Follow my lead," was all Arthur said before his lips met hers. Pushing her back against the cool stone wall with his body, he continued to kiss her fiercely. Shifting himself so that he could look out of the corner of his eye, he was pleased to see his suspicions were correct. Helios was watching them. His lips found her neck and he bit her skin a little.

"Arthur what are you doing?" Gwen mentally chastised herself for her slightly breathless voice.

Between kisses he whispered, "I basically told him I used you as a slave for my pleasure, Guinevere. I can see him a little. He's watching us. Our best chance is to make it look as if I'm dragging you away to finish what's started here." His mouth found hers again. His large hands gripped her hips as he pulled her closer to him. Wrapping her arms around him, she molded herself to his larger frame and returned the kiss, forgetting for a moment they were putting on a show for their enemy.

Both were breathing hard when the kiss ended.

He kissed her soundly. Looking around carefully, he saw the man was now gone. He looked down at her.

"Let's get out of here." She nodded.

It was with rubbery legs they left the citadel.

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"What happened in there? You're late!" Isodole hissed.

They were all outside the city now.

"Let's get a bit further out before we convene," Tristan said.

The group left in the night. Once they were several miles out, they made a small camp.

The group looked at Arthur and Gwen.

"What happened?" Merlin asked.

"I was getting the layout and the numbers when I was waylaid by none other than Helios himself." Gwen said. The group looked surprised.

"What did he want?" Tristan asked.

"To make her one of his women," Arthur spat venomously. "I found her and we got away. I told him she was mine and not for sale."

_I'll just bet you did,_ Tristan thought to himself.

"What did you find?" he asked aloud, changing the subject.

They shared what they found, along with everyone else who scouted the city. Everyone then turned in, excited to return to Fyrien to put the plan together.

They made it back to the castle. The men were mobilized and plans were finalized.

Arthur noticed Guinevere was a bit pensive on their way back to Fyrien. He knew that perhaps he'd laid it on a tad thick with Helios, but…he knew he had to make it right with her.

An idea popped into his head. Rising, he began to make preparations.

Gwen found the note in her room. It stated:

_Guinevere,_

_It would mean much to me if you could meet me at the rock in one hour._

_Yours always,_

_Arthur_

Looking down at herself, Gwen decided to change clothes. She wanted to look nice when she told him how thick he acted in the city with Helios. He called her accommodating, responsive and pleasurable.

She frowned.

She wasn't _that_ accommodating.

A large part of her anger was directed at herself. She found pleasure in his kiss and touches even under those circumstances. She knew Helios was watching and she didn't care.

Was that normal? What happened to her cool head? When it came to Arthur, she wondered how her desire overrode her good sense. She had to find a balance. A lack of focus could be devastating to their goal.

Walking to the beach, she looked down at herself. She was still thinking as she dressed, not really noticing what she chose.

She wanted to kick herself for choosing the purple and lavender dress.

_Damn._ She knew these were his favorite colors on her. She had first avoided wearing the colors because she wore them so much for him in the past. For her, wearing the color again was her way of saying she accepted him fully. She realized she not only loved him, but wanted to be with him as long as she lived.

She met him at the rock. He looked handsome in a blue shirt and brown trousers. He carried a basket and a blanket.

"Would you join me for a small picnic?"

She nodded.

"Follow me." He took her hand and led her into the woods.

A small stream greeted her within a few moments. The trees were thick around them, creating a tranquil setting.

"This is lovely," she said.

"I found this one day when I was walking," Arthur said. Spreading out the blanket, he set the small basket upon it. Sitting down, he extended his hand. Taking it, she joined him. Opening he basket, Arthur set out the simple platter of fruits. He knew she loved fruit. He was pleased to see her smile when she saw it.

"Thank you, Arthur. This is all very nice."

"It's good to see you smile again at me, Guinevere." His eyes searched hers for any anger. He saw none. Guinevere met his gaze for a moment before she spoke.

"Arthur I was a bit annoyed at you in the citadel with Helios."

"I figured so. What angered you the most?

"That it was truthful-"

"It most certainly was NOT!" Arthur jumped up. She rose also, not hesitating to argue her point.

"Oh, so I'm not pleasurable or responsive to your touch?"

"Wait just a minute-"

"Arthur for a moment back there I didn't care that Helios was watching us. When you kiss me I stop thinking straight. That scares me a bit. I've never felt for any man what I feel for you. I don't want what I feel for you jeopardize this fight in any way. I have been angry at myself for my lack of control in the situation. I've been taking the anger at myself out on you and for that I'm sorry." She exhaled; glad she was able to express herself freely.

"When I saw him leaning over you, I became so angry that another man would touch you. My pride did get in the way a bit, and I know I laid it on a bit thick. And I'm sorry for that. I wanted him to be sure he knew that you belonged with me. And since we are being honest here, I lose myself every time I kiss you. What we did was a risk. Did any part of our exchange with Helios remind you of the slavers capturing you?"

"No. Nothing you've done has ever reminded me of that."

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief. A slow smile graced his lips. He closed the distance between them in a few steps. Standing before her, his gaze took her in.

"I like your dress. The color suits you."

"Thank you."

"Guinevere, I know that you would never deliberately do anything to hurt me. You are an amazing woman. I trust you. There are few whose fighting skills compare to yours. I am confident that when we reclaim Camelot, you won't do a thing to threaten that." He took a deep breath as he reached into his pocket. It was there.

It was time.

He dropped to his knees and took her hands in his.

"I love you Guinevere. I love your smile, your laugh, the way you love others, your wisdom…I just love you. Having your love is the most important thing I could ever possess. I've learned that life without you is no life I ever want to live again. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" His blue eyes looked at her, awaiting her answer.

There were so many emotions she felt at his words.

He wanted to marry her! The fact that he asked before the siege meant so much to her. It meant he wanted her, even if this did not succeed. She looked down at him and dropped to her knees.

"I love you, Arthur, and I would love to become your wife."

She looked down at him sliding a beautiful pearl and diamond ring on her finger.

"It was my mother's" Arthur explained.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

The ring was a perfect fit. She turned her hand in different directions, amazed at how the light caused it to shine even more. She loved it.

"It's perfect on you, just as I knew it would be," Arthur said. Holding her hand in his, he kissed her finger where his ring lay. He then began kissing her hand, moving to her palm, and stopping at her wrist before looking up at her.

Her eyes were full of want as she watched him kiss her. He always intended just one kiss, but the scent and taste of her always left him wanting more. He was fooling himself to think one kiss could ever be enough. Sitting down on the blanket, he pulled her next to him.

"When would you like for us to marry?" He asked.

"I'd like for it to be sooner rather than later," Gwen said.

"If we are able to find someone to marry us before the siege, would you be willing?"

"I would. I can hardly wait to be your wife, Arthur," Leaning over, she kissed him.

"I love you so," she murmured as she placed soft kisses on his jaw.

"And I you," he said softly.


	20. Chapter 20

20

The newly engaged couple was surprised to find out that Tristan and Merlin had found a priest when they returned to the castle. He was available for a few days to pray with the fighting men and to also marry couples if they so desired.

Arthur and Gwen looked at each other and nodded. Excitement buzzed around the castle.

There was a wedding to plan.

The next few days saw quite a bit of hustle and bustle.

Arthur and Gwen decided to marry at their rock. Both agreed it was the place where they found one another again.

As far as her dress, Isodole had given her a bolt of pale lavender silk as a birthday gift last year. She created her dress from the material. It fit her figure and the sleeves belled out from the elbows. The skirt of the dress flowed from her waist, and there was a small train in the back.

They decided to keep it simple. Arthur and Gwen wanted to marry before the people who loved them the most. The guests would be the knights of Camelot and the fighters of Tintagel, Gaius and Merlin.

The morning of the wedding, there was a knock on her door.

"Come in," Gwen called.

Isodole burst in, wearing a green dress that matched her eyes. She was carrying a box and she wagged a finger at her friend.

"You should have asked who it was! What if I was Arthur?"

"I knew it wasn't Arthur. He told me he'd meet me at the rock tomorrow afternoon last night. I know I won't see him before then."

"Well, let's get you dressed!" She looked at the gown on the bed. "You made this from the silk I gave you last year! It's gorgeous Gwen."

Once she bathed, washed her hair, and applied an ointment Gaius made that kept the skin soft, she began to dress. Isodole helped her with her hair and applied a few light cosmetics. Gwen didn't need much to enhance her natural beauty.

After dressing, Isodole reached for the box. She opened it, revealing a slim gold chain with a huge pearl pendant.

"This has been in my family for years," her sister said. "Gwen you know you are a sister to me, and it would honor me if you would wear this today."

Gwen nodded, overcome with emotion. Isodole put the necklace on her. It accented her gown beautifully. Tears sprung to the older woman's eyes.

"You're beautiful."

"Thanks Isodole. I would not be here today if not for you."

The two women hugged.

The door opened and Merlin burst in. His smile was huge and only grew when he saw her.

"Oh Gwen," he breathed. "You look beautiful."

His friend glowed. He was so happy to see this day. He said, "I just finished getting Arthur ready. Do you know he threw his sword at me? All because I told him not to eat until after the ceremony! He accused me of calling him fat! 'I'm fighting fit!' he says. You sure you wanna marry this dollop head, Gwen?"

She laughed at her friends antics.

Holding out his arms to the two women, he said, "Let's get you married then."

Arthur stood with the priest by their rock.

He was dressed in his chainmail, as all of the knights were. They stood with Gaius, facing him.

The Tintagel family stood on the other side, dressed in their best.

The day was sunny with a breeze. The atmosphere was perfect.

Realising that Merlin and Isodole now stood amongst them, he looked for her, knowing she was finally near.

When he saw her, she took his breath away.

She walked alone to him, the sun shining behind her, making her appear as if she were not from this earth. His eyes devoured her, committing the way she looked to memory.

He was so handsome, she thought as she walked to him.

Finally they were together, and eager to connect, they joined hands before the priest began the ceremony.

The vows were simple, words everyone had heard many times at different ceremonies. And yet, when Arthur and Gwen spoke their vows, the love each had for the other magnified the meaning of the words, making them sound new to everyone's ears. Isodole, Gaius and Merlin kept dabbing their eyes with the handkerchiefs they had the foresight to bring. The men looked at the sun and blamed its brightness on their tears.

Julian watched his friend marry. Tears flowed freely from his face. Gwen reminded him of Merry, a girl he'd met years ago. He loved her, but they were slaves of different households at the time. They were to escape together, but the plan failed and they were separated. He never stopped searching for her, and watching Gwen marry her love gave him hope of finding his.

Arthur and Gwen couldn't take their eyes off one another. They repeated the vows that only reaffirmed the commitment they had made to one another in their hearts. Both heard the priest as if he came from afar.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Arthur cradled his face in her hands. He kissed her gently, but with the love that was in his heart. She returned his kiss, filling it with the love she had for him. When they broke apart, he leaned his forehead against hers.

"I love you Guinevere," he murmured softly.

"I love you Arthur," she whispered back.

The priest spoke again, saying, "I now present to you Arthur and Guinevere!"

The small crowd cheered.

The feast started in the afternoon and went well into the night.

There was dancing and laughter. Arthur watched his wife dance with Gwaine.

_Wife._

He would never tire of calling her that.

He was content to watch her dance and laugh for a bit longer. She was gracious and he knew she would want to make sure everyone was having a good time.

He only had to wait just a bit longer. He was patient. He waited years for her, surely he could last another hour or two.

Gwaine regarded his petite friend with curiosity while they danced.

She danced with everyone, thanked the priest, and made small talk.

He figured it out.

She was nervous. He chuckled; his fearless friend had a case of nerves. He had to give her credit, she hid them well. He'd noticed that throughout the evening his friend's eyes would dart to Arthur and skitter away. It was an action he'd seen with many maids who were anticipating what happened next but were unsure at the same time.

He'd charmed enough maids to recognize such a look. He looked down at Gwen, who was looking over at her husband again. Being taller, he could see her anxiety. He spoke, catching her attention.

"Why the nerves, Gwen?"

She was a bit taken aback by his bluntness. Since his only answer was silence, he continued.

"You're stalling. Arthur's being patient, but don't be surprised if he drags you off soon."

Gwen eyed her friend.

"I know it's silly…it's Arthur…and we've waited so long…what if we're…You won't tease us in the morning, will you?"

"Gwen I promise we will respect you in the morning, although I personally don't expect to see you until the late afternoon or the next day."

_The next day? Surely he doesn't mean the day after tomorrow,_ Gwen thought to herself. She then remembered to focus on her friend's words.

"…Arthur won't let you out of his sight until then. It will be fine, I'm sure you look great without clothes; Arthur will think you are exquisite, and it's true, you are. Now go to your husband." Gwaine shoved her gently in Arthur's direction.

For some reason, the knights rambling speech calmed her. She walked to Arthur and sat next to him while he was talking to Tristan.

Seeing her, Tristan, caught Isodole's eye. He rose, saying, "Time for me to dance with my wife. See you guys later."

Gwen looked at her husband.

"You ready?" he asked.

"I am."

"Let's go before they miss us." Grabbing her hand, they slipped from the room.

Arthur led her to his room, no their room, but it was empty. A note was by the window.

_You and Gwen's things have been moved to the east wing. It's bigger and more comfortable._

_Merlin._

They headed to the east wing. Gwen gasped as she found their rooms.

There were three rooms. The bedroom was in the middle with a sitting area and desk, and the two adjoining rooms held their clothing and another small sitting area in each one. Somehow they had moved all of the furniture without their knowledge. Gwen was touched by their kindness.

"This took a lot of work," she said.

Arthur nodded.

The night was warm, so no fire was needed. Gwen turned to him.

"Arthur, I need just a few moments."

He nodded. "That's fine, Gwen."

She disappeared into her sitting area, but didn't close the door.

He went into his area and removed his chainmail, padding and shirt. Splashing his face with water, he quickly pulled on a pair of sleep pants. He'd decided that they would join together at her pace. He was determined not to rush her.

As he walked out into the main room, so did she.

Dressed in a nightgown made of lace, she was breathtaking.

She had seen his bare chest many times, but he looked so beautiful to her tonight.

Arthur walked and sat in a large chair by the fireplace. He patted his knee.

"Come and sit with me, Guinevere." She walked to him, the sheer quality of her gown giving him lovely glimpses of her form. She sat in his lap, her legs dangling over the side of his. His eyes were full of warmth as he looked at her. Her large brown eyes regarded his steadily. Tentatively, his fingers brushed her temple, sliding down her cheek, his fingertips skimming over her neck until they found her pulse. He rested his fingers there, marveling at the strumming beat beneath her skin.

His fingers began making lazy swirls around her neck, his lips following the patterns of his fingers.

Moving closer to him, she arched her neck in a silent invitation for more as her hands began learning the solid planes of his chest and arms. Slowly his lips began moving closer towards hers. After kissing the corner of her mouth, his blue eyes blazed into hers.

"Hello wife," He kissed her then, softly.

Her skin felt hot, and as Arthur's intense gaze skimmed over her, she shivered a little. Moving herself even closer, she began kissing his jaw, pleased to feel him shudder against her. His skin felt warm beneath her hands, she thought as her lips neared his.

Their kisses slowly became more intense. Gwen didn't even realize Arthur carried her to bed until she felt the soft mattress sink beneath her frame. A sigh of surprise left her as her eyes met his. Leaning over her, his mouth clung to hers as he joined her there. The two became quickly lost in each other as they loved each other for the first time.

She woke first. Slowly she removed herself from the tangle of limbs and sheets they created last night. Discovering his shirt on the floor near his wardrobe, she slipped it on and padded to her suite. Finding a basin in her sitting area, she cleaned herself off, her mind full of thoughts from the night before. Arthur was a tender and passionate man, and she was awed a bit at how much closer to him she felt, seeing a side of him that was for her eyes alone.

She smiled to herself as she returned to bed. She was surprised to see Arthur under the covers this time, dozing slightly. His eyes opened when he felt her slip beneath the covers.

"Come here," he said, reaching for her. Sliding in bed next to him, her husband pulled her beneath him and began kissing her. _She's so soft_, he thought as his lips found her collarbone. Her uninhibited and loving response to his touch last night amazed him. It was also quite addicting. Looking down at her, he smirked as he saw her in his shirt.

"That looks rather good on you," he said as he leaned forward for another kiss.

"The air was a bit chilly, so I borrowed this." The collar of his shirt slid a little, exposing her shoulder to him. His hand skimmed over the surface of exposed skin, his heart so thankful that she was his wife and here with him. His lips placed a soft kiss on her shoulder before looking at her.

Her curly hair was free, tumbling over her shoulders and back. Her eyes glowed with love. She was smiling at him as her fingers played in his hair. There was such contentment in his eyes and she marveled at it.

"I hate to hear that you, my love are cold when there is much to keep you warm." His mouth joined hers with a loving touch. When they broke apart she grinned at him impishly.

"How do you propose accomplishing this task?"

Faster than she could blink, she was out of his shirt and bare before him. She raised one questioning brow at Arthur.

He grinned.

"You just leave that to me Guinevere."

A/N: Can you believe the finale is only a day away! This season went by so fast! I had a few personal goals in writing these chapters. One was to see if I could write longer ones. Another one was to try and show affection between A/G without them being too OOC. What's next? Sieges and confrontations!

Merry Christmas to you all! Thanks again for reading and reviewing and favoritng this story.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: A bridge chapter…sigh…Arthur needs one more thing before the fight. I'm pretty sure you can guess what it is.

21

There was only a week left before the final fight.

Arthur lay in bed, his mind full of thoughts.

Would they win? Would he lose anyone? Would the people accept him as their king again?

What if they failed?

They had worked so hard to get to where they were. The feel of his wife's lush skin beneath his hand was a welcome interruption from his prior thoughts. Propping himself on an elbow, he looked down at her.

Guinevere was fast asleep, her features relaxed. He gazed upon her, his heart swelling with love. His other arm reached out and stroked the skin of her bare arm, causing her to stir slightly in her sleep. As he watched her, he thought about what a wonderful woman she was.

He wouldn't be here without her help. She and the Tintagel fighters were the major reason as to why the tide had turned. He was still a bit in awe that she married him. He wanted them to succeed for many reasons.

He hoped that she would be able to be the queen he knew she could be. As he watched her slumber, he wondered why he wasn't asleep by now.

For some reason, he was feeling a bit restless. He figured it was anticipation for the battle ahead. He decided to walk so his tossing and turning wouldn't disturb Gwen. Gently disengaging himself from his wife, Arthur pulled on some clothes. Quietly moving through the castle, he was soon outdoors. As he walked into the dark forest, the restlessness grew.

Looking around, he realized he'd never walked here before. It was as if something was calling him there. After walking for a while he found a clearing. He shook his head in disbelief in what he saw.

The sword in the stone was magnificent. He could tell the blade would be flawless. The light of the moon glinted on the gold-laced handle and shimmered beautifully.

He walked closer to the unusual sight, disquieted by the desire to remove the sword from the stone.

_It would be impossible to remove this sword from the stone,_ he thought to himself as he walked closer.

His hand wrapped around the handle. He was so surprised by the jolt of energy that traveled up his arm from the sword that he let go and stared at it in shock.

_What was that?_ He thought to himself as he stepped back a little. The hum of energy reverberating from the sword swirled around him, and once again, the desire to pull the sword from the stone pulsed within him. He reached for it.

Finding a firmer grip, Arthur didn't think. He just pulled, astonished that the sword came from the stone so easily. It was if he had pulled the sword from butter instead of stone. Holding the sword, he was pleased to see that it was more beautiful than he imagined. Testing it, he was pleased to see that the blade was magnificent, and that it's balance was perfect. It was as if it were made for his hand. Looking at the sky, he realized that morning was approaching. Tucking the sword in his belt, he headed back to the castle.

000000000000000

Gwen awoke alone. Turning over, and feeling coolness where Arthur usually lay, she wondered what caused him to rise so early. She hoped nothing was amiss. Rolling out of bed, she found her husband's shirt. She found that she loved wearing his shirts. They smelled like him and she liked that something he wore was now touching her skin.

As she walked to the wardrobe to dress, she was surprised to see the door fling open. Arthur burst in, his large eyes filled with astonishment.

"What happened?" she asked, walking to stand in front of him. Her hands reached out to stroke his arms. The fine tremor of muscle beneath her hands caused her to look at him with alarm. Grabbing his arm with a bit more force, she led him to one of the large chairs by the fireplace. She gently pushed him in it. She sat on his knee, her hands smoothing over his face. Quietly she waited for him to speak.

Her husband took a deep breath.

"I was restless last night and couldn't sleep. I decided to take a walk." Arthur leaned back and slowly pulled the sword from his belt.

Gwen gasped. The sword was beautiful. Arthur continued to speak.

"I found this in a stone in the woods."

_Did he just say a stone?_ Arthur nodded, seeing the incredulous look in her eyes.

"But how, how did you get it out?"

"I know this is going to sound strange, but I pulled it out."

Gwen looked at him.

"Arthur you're saying that you _pulled_ that sword from a _stone?_"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Guinevere it was as if the sword called me to it. I felt such a jolt when I touched it… and…" His voice trailed off. He knew his tale sounded strange.

Although he had slowly come around to the idea that magic was not inherently evil, Arthur was still taken aback to have participated in it. How else could he have pulled a sword from stone? He looked at Gwen. Her hands were held up in a silent question.

He gently placed his sword in her hands.

She stared at it. The craftsmanship was exceptional, the blade perfectly forged. The sun shining through the windows caused the golden markings on the blade and handle to shimmer in the light. Slowly, she turned it around in her hands, unable to shake the feeling that she'd seen it before.

_Impossible,_ she thought to herself. She looked at Arthur, whose face held a surprisingly vulnerable expression as he looked at her. She knew that this was beyond the realm of what he was used to. Pushing her thoughts about seeing the sword before to the back of her mind, she focused on him.

Placing the sword in her hands, she presented it to him. He held up his hands, and she deposited the sword in his palms. Her hands gently held his wrists as she looked at him.

"Despite how you found it, I believe that this sword is for you alone, Arthur. Perhaps it is the last thing you needed before we entered into battle. Guard it carefully." Her lips then brushed across his. Rising from his lap, she said, "I'm getting dressed. We have a meeting soon." She left him, instinctively knowing he needed a moment alone to regroup.

Arthur sat in the chair and gazing at the sword, prepared himself for the days ahead.

They were going to win.

0000000000000000

Merlin stared in shock at the sword that now hung at the king's waist.

He'd put that sword in the stone himself. How had Arthur found it?

He was surprised to hear Aithusa's voice whisper in his mind.

_It was time for Arthur to find the sword. He will now be victorious and Camelot will achieve it's great destiny._

Merlin nodded, and silently entered the meeting after him.

They had planned, and met, and strategized. A part of Arthur wanted to rush ahead and just _finish_ it, but they had put in far too much effort to rush now. It was just seeing his kingdom in such disrepair broke his heart. He'd heard of the torture Morgana administered to anyone who hinted at resistance. Crops had been burned, and people had lost their homes.

As word spread quietly amongst the citizens in the outlying countryside, hope began to form in the hearts of the people. A revolution had started, where many helped the displaced king by providing extra supplies and food from the little they had. It humbled Arthur that the people still had such faith in his ability to lead. He'd share his thoughts with Guinevere when they lay together, and she reminded him that his heart had grown in wisdom and strength and that he was exactly the king Camelot needed.

He was so thankful for her.

He had to admit though; he was a bit worried about her fighting. It wasn't because she couldn't take care of herself. It was just she was his wife now, and it was his responsibility to look after her welfare. He knew that telling her to stay behind while he fought wouldn't work. She was just as vital to the siege as anyone else.

He decided to talk to Tristan about it. He and his wife fought together. And he respected his opinion.

He found the man sharpening his knives. Arthur sat across from him at the table.

"May I speak to you a moment?"

The older knight simply nodded, and set down his tools, giving the young man his full attention.

"How do you fight without being worried about Isodole's welfare?"

"I don't. There is a part of me that will always worry about her safety, just as I'm sure she worries about mine. I am confident in her abilities. I know that we are always better together than we are apart. Have you talked to her about your concerns?"

Arthur shook his head.

"Ttalk to her then!"

00000000000000

"It's too dangerous, Gwen."

"I cannot rid myself of the feeling that I simply must master this." Gwen and Alator had met for another session.

"It takes too much from you to shield more than one person, block, and rebound magic," Alator stated. Raising his hands in exasperation he said, "This could kill you! It would destroy us all if anything happened to you," he left the last words _especially Arthur_ unsaid, but Gwen heard them anyway.

"Have you spoken to him?" She shook her head.

"Spoken to me about what?" the sound of her husband's voice was not one she expected to hear at that particular moment_._

Both had been feeling tense about the battle ahead, and as a result, the two had been avoiding a conversation that they needed to have.

Husband and wife regarded each other and knew it was time to talk. Alator spoke.

"Gwen, we will meet tomorrow. I have to speak with Gaius."

Now that she was dismissed, the newly married couple left and in unspoken agreement, headed for their room. Closing the door behind them, Arthur looked at her.

"What do you need to speak to me about?"

She pulled him into her arms and laid her head against his shoulder. Arthur's arms automatically closed around her before she spoke softly.

"After dreaming of Morgana hurting you, I asked Alator if I could use my ability to not only defend myself, but shield others if necessary."

"Guinevere, that's far too dangerous! What if you hurt yourself?"

"Arthur do you understand that I would sacrifice my life for yours if needed?" His mouth hung open at her words. He would do the same for her.

"I would lay down my life for yours Guinevere, without question," Arthur said. Looking down at her, he said, "I worry about you being hurt in all this. I know you can fight, and fight well. I just…I need you to live Guinevere. Is this how you used to feel when I went on quests so long ago?"

He felt her nod against him, saying "I would be so happy to see you return."

"When we fight love, I want us to fight together. I'll be better if I can at least see you being so magnificent in battle."

"That won't distract you?" He shook his head, saying, "I'd be more distracted if I have to wonder where you are. If you fight by my side, I don't have to worry about that."

She nodded.

"Just promise me one thing."

She looked at him quizzically.

"Don't take any unnecessary risks."

"I won't if you promise me the same thing." Arthur nodded solemnly as he closed his eyes and placed his face in her hair.

A/N: I didn't like that Merlin had to 'help' Arthur remove the sword from the stone on the finale. Thanks again for reading and reviewing! Happy New Year!


	22. Chapter 22

22

_Camelot_

Once again, the old man with flowing white hair and beard tormented her dreams. He was standing above her, the red sky behind him giving him a menacing appearance. His dark blue eyes seared into hers as his hand extended towards her. She knew he would send her a blow that would kill her.

"No!" she cried as she sat up in the bed.

The Queen looked around, finding empty comfort in the fact she was in her bed inside the castle.

A quiet knock interrupted her racing thoughts. Pulling herself together, she said.

"Come in."

"My lady, are you alright? I thought I heard shouting in here."

Morgana eyed her servant. Her brown eyes, brown skin, and thick curly hair reminded her of another maid she had long ago.

Guinevere.

Morgana was thrilled that her plans had succeeded. She had thwarted Guinevere's destiny of becoming Queen. Arthur was dead, killed in battle by Helios himself, and Camelot was hers.

And yet, she had no peace. Dark dreams tormented her each night. She tried escaping them by inviting Helios to her bed, using him as a distraction, but it did not work.

Night after night she dreamed of her death. She shivered at the thought of him.

Emrys.

Her destiny and her doom. The one man she truly feared.

"My lady?" her servant's soft voice broke into her morbid thoughts.

"I'm fine Merry. That will be all."

Merry nodded and left the room. Quickly and quietly, she moved down the hall, staying close to the shadows, hoping the dimness would offer her some protection from him.

"Merry! There you are. Come here."

It was not to be. Steeling herself, she turned to face the man who had been trying to corner her since he acquired her.

"Yes, my lord?"

"I've told you Merry, to call me Helios. It would please me greatly if you would do that."

Merry nodded. Helios stepped closer, his larger body touching hers, and the maid shuddered with revulsion.

The warlord's lips touched her ear as his arms wound around her.

"You will serve me in my chambers tonight." Slowly he let her go, his dark eyes never leaving hers. Turning he walked away, and as soon as he was out of sight, Merry scurried to her room. Closing the door firmly behind her, she sank on the bed, closing her eyes as the image of another still burned behind her lids.

Julian.

They were young when they met, slaves of neighboring households, and impossibly, they fell in love. Both dreamed of a free life together, and decided to run away.

She had been going to meet him when she saw his master and his men looking for him. Merry let them capture her instead, in hopes that he would make it and find her later. He'd always promised he'd come back for her, that if they were ever parted, he'd never stop looking for her.

Even now, she could feel him holding her. She took a moment to find comfort in the memory.

She was sold to a harem to serve as a maid. Fortunately for her, she was left unmolested. She served the chief concubine as a gift from the prince, and was left alone, protected under her favor.

Merry was used in a gambling game. Her prince and mistress lost and she was acquired by Helios. His dark gazes scared her, and she had hoped Morgana, like her former mistress, would shield her.

There was nothing kind about Camelot's queen. She'd heard whispers of The Once and future King, coming back to take the throne. He was described as just and fair.

Looking out the window at the darkening sky, Merry couldn't help but hope help was coming soon.

Helios looked at the slave he'd acquired. Merry was pouring him wine.

Merry reminded him of another.

The vision in the ragged yellow dress he found in the citadel was delectable. He'd planned of having her, but her master intercepted her from his attentions. It was quite an experience to watch them together.

Watching her submit pleasurably beneath her master's touch made him want to acquire her for himself.

But she was never to be found again. Merry was much like that beauty in yellow. She was lovely to behold, and innocent. He waited to see if she'd come to him. Many women did. She however, did not. This only made him want her more.

Tonight, he would have his pleasure.

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That evening, Morgana ate alone. Helios had dinner in his rooms, with the intention of seducing her maid.

She found she didn't care.

There was a feeling of foreboding that she couldn't' shake. She had walked around the castle herself several times, and there wasn't anything out of place.

Indeed, the night was quiet.

She didn't like that.

Standing abruptly from her empty table, Morgana went to her chambers.

Merry served Helios his meal.

How she hated this man!

She didn't want to submit to him. Feeling the vial in her pocket, she knew she would drink the poison if there was no way to escape.

Helios finished his wine. Setting his cup on the table, he slowly stood.

Reaching for her, his large fingers encircled her wrist and pulled her towards him. His dark head bent and spoke in her ear, "You have nothing to fear from me, little maid." His hands molded around her small shoulders and ran down her arms.

Bile rose in her throat as she looked at him.

She took a step away from him, hurriedly reaching for her vial.

He took another step towards her as the room was plunged into darkness.

"What the-"Helios said.

She didn't wait to hear the rest. Merry shot past him, using the darkness as a cover to leave his chambers. She was astonished to see the hallway was dark as well. Trailing her hand across the wall, the young woman felt her way through the dark castle. There were cries of chaos surrounding her, but Merry was used to dark places. She knew she wasn't far from her room. She could hide in there.

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Everyone was in place.

They decided to attack at nighttime. All of the fighters had been assembled and given direction. Arthur looked down at himself. He wore black, as did everyone else, in order to blend in with the night.

Arthur raised his sword.

He heard the words, foreign words of the Old Religion being uttered by Alator. Arthur was astonished to see the castle plunged into darkness.

He remembered going over strategy with Tristan, Isodole, and Guinevere.

"_They will expect an attack in the daytime. That's usually how these battles are fought. But this time, we surprise them with something they'll never see coming." Isodole said._

Looking at the dark castle, Arthur could hear the cries of chaos as soldiers tried to light the lanterns again.

"It's time, Gwen." He heard Tristan say. He looked to his right in time to see his wife raise her bow. Her arrow was drawn back. The tip was burning, the flame glinting in the dark night.

Guinevere aimed and shot into the darkness. The resounding BOOM and resulting explosion was confirmation that she'd hit her target of black powder they'd planted the day before. At the sound, their soldiers filed into the castle.

Inside the castle, Morgana gasped as she felt the walls shake.

Helios cursed, his plans forgotten as he raced to gather his men together.

Merry continued to her room, turning a corner. She gasped as strong hands encircled her wrists. Struggling to break free of the hold, she was distracted briefly by the bright explosion of light outside.

"Merry?" The explosion illuminated the dark hall for a moment, and he was astonished to see her standing there.

It couldn't be. She looked into the blue eyes of a man she always hoped to see again.

"Julian." The fire outside allowed her to make out his face.

His fingers traced her face, the tips wet from her tears. Quickly he engulfed her into his arms. Merry clung to him, her small frame shaking with sobs. Reluctantly, he let her go and reached for her hand, their fingers intertwining. Merry touched his face, in awe that he was standing before her.

"You found me."

"Didn't I tell you I would?" He pulled her close once again, both finding comfort in the embrace. He pulled back and looked at her, his expression intense.

"I need you to stay with me Merry."

She nodded, and followed him down the hall, asking, "Why are you here?" Before he could answer, two men rushed down the hall, and Julian reached back and withdrew his two swords. Quickly overpowering them, he put his swords away and reached for her hand. Her wide eyes stared at him.

He looked at her and said, "We are here to help King Arthur reclaim his throne. I'll explain everything later. Now stay close to me."

Hope swelled in Merry's heart as she grabbed his hand and followed him down the dim hallway.

The Once and Future King had arrived.


	23. Chapter 23

23

After Guinevere shot the arrow which caused the first explosion, the other soldiers trained with crossbows began shooting down the soldiers guarding the outer castle wall. They fell quickly.

Arthur raised his sword and pointed forward. Quickly, the soldiers headed to the castle to disarm the soldiers within the castle. He looked over at Guinevere, who had her arrow raised, the flame lit, ready to strike her next target. Her eyes glanced over to meet his.

Arthur inclined his head, and Guinevere let the arrow fly.

She was successful, and another BOOM thundered in the night.

Tristan looked through his spyglass, and saw that Camelot's soldiers were successful. Nodding in satisfaction, he handed the glass to the king. Arthur looked and turning to his guard and the fighters, he said two words.

"Let's move."

The party moved forward, ready to complete their mission.

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Morgana was dumbfounded.

Who was attacking in the middle of the night? She walked through the hall, and spying men fighting, she shot forth her hand, and the enemy fighter fell against the wall, unconscious. She walked closer to him, looking at his attire for any markings to discern what kingdom he came from. She was surprised to see he only wore black, with no markings anywhere.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, the Queen turned to face Helios.

"We are under attack, my lady."

"I can _see_ that Helios," she snapped. "The question is who?"

Shrewdly she looked at him, her eyes flashing as the thought entered her mind.

"Is he truly dead as you claimed him to be? You never brought me back his head as I asked."

Helios nodded slowly.

"My men told me he was dead, his body dismembered," he said, his confidence slightly faltering.

A growing dread grew within her.

Her half brother was still alive.

Morgana knew that it was him attacking. Her hand flew out to slap Helios, but the warlord grabbed her wrist before she could strike his face.

"Watch yourself my lady," he warned.

"You PROMISED me Arthur Pendragon was dead!" she hissed. "You were careless, Helios and now he's attacking!" She pointed at the window. "Our men are being slaughtered!"

Helios grabbed her arms and shook her slightly.

"Morgana get yourself together!" He said vehemently. "Now is not the time to panic!"

She nodded and spoke a few words.

Light returned to the castle. Morgana wished it had remained dark. Many of her men had fallen, their blood staining the walls and stone floors.

The only way to survive this was to kill Arthur. Then this rebellion would be squashed once and for all.

She turned to her partner.

"Let's head to the throne room. I have a feeling we'll be seeing my dear brother soon."

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Arthur, Guinevere, Tristan, Isodole, Alator, Merlin and the other fighters entered the castle through a now unguarded side door. Arthur turned to the twins and said, "Galahad, you and Gaheris check on Julian and see how he's progressed. The rest of you spread out and take control of each section." Turning to his wife, Tristan and Isodole he said, "It's time to pay my sister a visit."

She felt it.

Evil, malicious, dark magic.

She knew the source.

Morgana.

Since she stepped over Camelot's threshold, Gwen could feel Morgana's dark power. What she had experienced in her dreams a few months ago was nothing like experiencing it up close. Just as they reached the outer doors of the throne room, Gwen stopped and closed her eyes.

Arthur looked at her and before he could open his mouth, Tristan said, "Let her prepare."

Gwen's eyes remained closed as she breathed deeply as she focused her mind. After a moment, she opened them. Meeting Arthur's eyes, she said, "I'm ready."

Bursting into the throne room, they were a bit surprised to only see Morgana, sitting on the throne, and Helios standing behind her.

"Welcome dear brother. It's been far too long," Morgana said as she rose and began walking towards him.

Arthur met his sister's dark gaze steadily, holding his sword, blade downward, by the handle, indicating he meant her no harm. Walking to meet her, he sheathed it. Morgana caught the glint of a band on Arthur's left hand as he put his sword away.

_He's married, _Morgana thought to herself. Looking past him, she saw his wife.

_It can't be,_ Morgana thought to herself as she gazed upon her former servant.

Guinevere said nothing. She stood against a post, her expression nonchalant as she watched her coolly. She turned her eyes back to her brother, who was regarding her with a similar expression.

"Despite your plans, sister, I am reunited with my love, Guinevere, Camelot's true Queen."

Morgana's heart lurched at his words. Arthur took the slightest step closer to her, his eyes never leaving hers.

"What happened to you Morgana? I thought we were friends."

She was taken aback by the simple question. She steeled herself and cast forth her venomous words.

"As did I, but alas, we were both wrong."

"You can't blame me for my father's sins," Arthur replied, the regret in his eyes plain to see.

"It's a little late for that. You've made it perfectly clear how you feel about me and my kind," Morgana said, her voice full of bitterness.

"You're not as different from Uther as you'd like to think," she spat.

"Nor are you." Arthur shot back, the regret gone from his voice as his anger began to build.

She was the root reason as to why he and Guinevere were separated for so long.

Her selfishness caused Camelot's destruction. Any lingering hope he had of reaching the Morgana of old was now gone.

It was confirmed when Morgana stepped back, her green eyes full of hatred.

"I am going to enjoy killing you, Arthur Pendragon. Not even Emrys can save you now," Morgana declared.

Arthur pulled his sword, and Morgana laughed.

"Your blades cannot stop me," Morgana sneered. As if her weakling brother were a match for her and the power she held.

"Perhaps not." Guinevere's voice filled the throne room.

Morgana looked at her, a smirk still upon her features as her former maid walked towards her, only stopping when she was firmly planted between the two siblings. Her smirk faded a bit when Guinevere's cool brown eyes met hers unblinkingly. Her intense gaze caused Uther's former ward to take a step back.

"However, Morgana, I _can_ stop you."

The tiniest of smirks graced Gwen's face.

"And I intend on enjoying every single moment."

Morgana eyed the woman she considered her enemy. She stood in all black, like the rest of them, with her hair in a single braid. Her only jewelry was her wedding band. The confidence that radiated from her was unnerving as she gazed back unflinchingly, her hands at her sides as she awaited her attack.

The witch spoke, the powerful incantation meant to annihilate all of them.

Nothing happened.

Morgana blinked, surprised, and raising her hand, uttered the words again.

Still nothing.

Gwen's smirk grew, and Arthur glanced at his wife, pride shining in his eyes as he watched her block Morgana's magic and shield them all without breaking a sweat.

Morgana looked at her hands, and then them, disbelief marring her features.

"Not so powerful now milady?" Arthur queried, his voice tinged with mocking sarcasm.

Helios stepped forward, pushing Morgana behind him, his eyes widening as he realized he was looking upon what he once thought was a slave and her master from the citadel a couple of months ago. Arthur smirked at the man.

"I see you remember us," Arthur's voice was dry as he assessed the man.

He was ready to give the man a beating for placing his hands on his wife that day.

Before he could begin, the door burst open and several of Morgana's guard entered.

Morgana used the interruption to leave the room.

Gwen ran after her.

Tristan and Isodole began fighting the guard.

Arthur and Helios eyed each other. Their swords met and clang simultaneously.

The fight began.

The two men swung at one another, their swords vibrating powerfully as they met. The two men continued to circle each other, their swords ready to attack again. Helios leapt forward, and Arthur ducked, causing the man to fall across his back. Arthur reached behind him, his sword grazing Helios' side.

The two men jumped and charged each other. In a surprising move, Arthur's head smacked against Helios' causing the warlord to stumble back. Before the man could recover, Arthur's sword found his side. Pushing hard upon the handle, he delivered the fatal blow.

Arthur looked over and Tristan and Isodole, who were nearly finished fighting. Tristan met his eye.

"Go to her!" he shouted.

Arthur nodded and left to find Guinevere.

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Merlin ran through the now nearly empty castle, disarming Morgana's men with his magic. He was heading towards the throne room when two female voices stopped him. He stopped and peered into the room, his eyes widening at the sight of Gwen and Morgana facing off.

"What did I do to make you hate me so much?" Gwen asked calmly.

"We were friends, were we not Morgana? I served you with love, and yet you've done nothing but repay me with hatred."

Merlin continued to look in the room, watching as the two women circled one another.

"It's not what you did; it's what you're destined to do." Morgana replied. Raising her sword, she continued, "And I'm sorry Gwen, I can never let that happen."

Gwen raised her sword to meet hers, and the battle began.

Merlin watched in awe as Gwen met Morgana strike for strike. He could tell Morgana was trying to use magic to help her win, but Gwen was blocking her magic and consistently fighting her, each of her blows designed to disarm and weaken.

Merlin heard footsteps behind him. Turning, he saw Arthur. He held up his hand to stop him from entering.

"This is between them, Arthur."

Arthur nodded in agreement, much to Merlin's surprise. The two then watched the confrontation. The two women were still fighting fiercely, but Arthur could see Morgana was starting to tire.

"Where did you learn to fight like this?" Morgana cried. This was not the Gwen of old, her servant. Morgana knew she was fighting Guinevere, the true Queen of Camelot.

"Doesn't matter," Gwen answered. Her leg swung out, kicking Morgana's sword from her hand. She then spun around, her elbow meeting Morgana's nose.

Merlin and Arthur's eyes widened at the _crunch_ they heard of Morgana's nose being broken.

Guinevere then met her enemy's eyes as Morgana's hands flew to her nose in shock.

"Just know that no matter how many times you try to take over Camelot, you'll never succeed. And from now on, I'll be here to stop you every time." Gwen then delivered a sharp kick behind Morgana's knees, causing the woman to drop to the ground in pain. Morgana raised her hand, and Gwen felt a mighty surge of magic aim towards her. Summoning all of her concentration, she raised her hands and sent Morgana's dark magic back to its user.

Morgana screamed from feeling the blow. Her body felt as if it were on fire. There was only one thing to do. Summoning the last of her power, Morgana disappeared.

Gwen blinked in shock as she watched Morgana disappear before her eyes.

"She's gone."

Gwen turned to see Merlin standing in the doorway.

"Good." She went to sit in a chair, more than a little tired. It had taken a lot out of her to rebound Morgana's magic. Before she could sit, she found herself in Arthur's arms. He sat first, and pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her, his face burrowing into her hair.

"I'm so glad you're alright." Arthur murmured. Pulling back so he could see her clearly, he said, "You were magnificent, Guinevere. I could not have done this without you."

Her fingers lovingly traced his chiseled face.

"I'm glad to see you're alright as well. We're a team Arthur. I couldn't have done this without you either. Helios is-"

"Dead." Arthur said. Gwen nodded.

"All of Morgana's men are no more. They fell under our might." She could hear the pride in her husband's voice.

"Now we set this kingdom to right again," Arthur continued.

"There is much to do," Gwen said.

"It's a good thing you have us around then."

The King and Queen turned to see Gwaine stand with Merlin. Behind him were Arthur's guard and Tintagel's fighters.

"It is a good thing, indeed." Gwen said, meeting the eyes of each person. They stopped upon a pair of brown eyes she'd never seen before.

Merry stared at the Warrior Queen in awe. She felt Julian's hand on her arm, pushing her forward.

"Julian, is this-"

"Gwen, this is my Merry." The joy in the fighter's voice was impossible to miss.

Everyone stared at the maid and the Queen. The resemblance was striking. Merry was a bit taller and thinner, and her curls were larger and thicker, but she and Gwen could easily pass for sisters.

Gwen stood and walked to the woman.

Merry was surprised when the Queen embraced her with a warm hug.

"I am so glad he found you," Gwen said softly. "He never stopped looking."

The simple words overwhelmed the maid. She began to weep, the years of separation and being reunited flooding her emotions. Gwen released her, and Julian enfolded her in his arms, his large body shaking with sobs.

All were misty eyed watching the reunion. Quietly, the two left the room.

Arthur said quietly, "Everyone find a place to rest and we'll meet later begin restoring everything."

The party left the room.

Arthur stood and took Guinevere's hand. "I know where we can rest, Guinevere."

Soon they were in the north tower. Finding a room with a bed, the two stumbled upon it and were asleep within seconds.

Arthur awoke and looked over at his wife.

His heart stopped when she came and stood between him and Morgana in the throne room. Instinct told him to trust her, and he was so amazed to see her in action. He'd never admit it aloud, but watching her fight made his blood simmer more than a little.

Guinevere would surely knock him on the head if he ever voiced that particular thought aloud.

As if she heard his thoughts, she stirred. Her brown eyes met his warm blue ones. Her brow raised in question at the warm gaze he was giving her.

"Arthur, why are you looking at me like _that?"_

"Like what?" He tried to sound innocent, but his eyes were expressing something completely different.

"Like you can see what I look like under these clothes." Grinning, he pulled her under him, his larger body covering hers. He kissed her, his mouth parting hers with ease. Gently he nipped her lip as his eyes met hers.

"Guinevere, I _know_ what you look like without your clothes. I just like to reacquaint myself with all of your fine points from time to time," Arthur replied as he shrugged out of his shirt. Placing his arms aound her as a cage he looked down at her.

"And Guinevere, you have many fine points I desire to learn about even more right now." His warm lips found a very sensitive spot on her neck, and she sighed. "Found one." Arthur full mouth smirked with triumph.

Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes playfully. "You are impossible, Arthur Pendragon," she said.

"You know you love it, Guinevere," Arthur replied cockily as his lips found another sensitive spot.

"You are so going to pay for this later," Gwen whispered as her mouth met his.

Merlin headed down the hallway to check on the King and Queen.

Hearing a low grunt and a soft giggle, he shook his head and turned around.

_Later,_ he said to himself._ I'll check back much later._

A/N: Fight scenes are always such a challenge for me to write! I can drabble about Arwen cuteness, but I literally have to study fight scenes to get them right. I hope you enjoyed the siege. I did like Arthur and Morgana's confrontation in the finale, so I just expanded it a bit. I also wanted to give Julian a happy ending. Thanks again for reading and reviewing!


	24. Chapter 24

Epilogue

_One year later_

She lay on the bed, still weak and quite powerless. She hated her powerless state but there was nothing she could do about it.

As had for many months now she wondered how she failed. How did she, a servant best her and resist her magic?

She was still without answers. Slowly she turned, and as always, the wave of fiery pain consumed her, in spite of the fact that she always braced herself for it. A scream left her lips.

She hated them she thought as she closed her eyes. One day, I will have my revenge and Camelot will be mine! She thought to herself as her body lost consciousness once again.

The door opened, and a young boy, appearing to just enter his teens. He sat next to her in a chair by the bed, his young eyes worshipping her still beautiful face. A grimace crossed her features, and his hand gently touched her forehead, smoothing the wrinkle from her brow.

"It's alright Morgana," he soothed. "I will care for you as you cared for me so long ago."

His magic had grown, and he was able to see into her thoughts without interference. He saw the final battle between her and her former maidservant, and he was astonished to see that the maid had the ability to block magic quite well. He also saw her desire for the throne and her determination to win it again.

He decided to help her.

It was the least Mordred could do.

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"So that's the Princess Mithian," his wife said as they entered their chambers. She walked ahead of him, turning her head to appraise him with a cool look before turning back around and walking towards her wardrobe. His arm shot out and wound itself around her waist, pulling her against him as he buried his face into her neck.

He remembered when he knew he had to tell Guinevere about Mithian once they slowly began making strides towards one another again. To be completely honest, he was afraid to have the discussion with her face to face. One of the many letters he wrote to her was one about his brief engagement to Mithian and the mistake he had made in agreeing to the marriage in the first place. It was with a heavy heart he lay the letter on the pillow like he had with so many other letters before. His heart sunk lower when Guinevere wouldn't speak to him for several weeks. He'd actually thought he'd lost all of the ground he gained with her until she came to his room one day.

She had walked in and her steely brown gaze pinned him still.

"I'm not a princess, Arthur." He mentally shivered at how cold her voice was.

_But you're my princess,_ he thought to himself. Aloud he said, "No, Guinevere you are something far greater. You are the keeper of my heart. I-"

"Arthur it was more than difficult to read that while I was enduring your banishment, you were going to marry another. I burned your letter. It's not something I desire to read again."

His heart lurched at her words.

She looked up at him and said, "I need time, Arthur."

He nodded, and she left his room. It was another agonizing month before she spoke to him again.

She was training with her bow and arrow, working on striking moving targets at fifty feet away. She hit them all successfully. He watched her, as always amazed by her skill. Once she collected her arrows, she walked over to him. His eyes hungrily roved her face, and he had to fight the urge to touch her face with his fingers.

"What do you want from me Arthur?" Taken aback by her forwardness, he answered honestly.

"I want us together again," he said, stepping closer to her, completely drawn in by the challenging gaze in her dark eyes.

"You sure about that?" She was _so_ close, he thought, as his nostrils filled with her clean scent.

"It's all I want. I know I made a mistake, and I-"

"I'm tired of your words, Arthur," she said.

"Prove it. Prove to me what you want," her voice was low as she threw down her challenge. Giving him one last look, she turned and walked away.

Now they were here. The people worked hard to set the town and castle to rights. Surprisingly, Tristan and Isodole stayed in Camelot, and they served as advisors to the king. Julian and Merry wed and returned to Tintagel with the rest of the fighters. All stayed in touch quite regularly. To showcase that Camelot was under stable and strong rule, Arthur invited the neighboring kingdoms to reestablish treaties and trade agreements. Things had gone quite well, despite the fact that Mithian, who was now the wife of King Melwas, couldn't take her eyes off his wife. Guinevere was a kind, wise and compassionate queen, he thought to himself. Come to think of it, Melwas was entranced by Guinevere as well. He frowned. Melwas would require careful watching.

"I noticed her looking at me a great deal," she said, leaning back into his embrace.

"It's because you're probably not what she expected, love. When I ended things, I told her I was in love with the daughter of a blacksmith. She wasn't prepared for your beauty, inside and out. You were positively glowing tonight," he said as his fingers trailed over her bare shoulders.

She turned in his arms to face him. "There is something I must tell you, husband."

His brows rose at her tone.

"If all goes well, our family will grow in the next seven months or so," she said softly.

His mouth opened, then shut, then opened again. Dropping to his knees, he wrapped his arms around her middle and lay his face against her stomach. Gwen felt his tears through her thin gown, and her hands wound themselves in his hair. He pressed a kiss there and then slowly stood, his eyes never leaving hers. He pulled her into his arms and whispered, "Thank you for forgiving me, Guinevere. Thank-" Overcome, he simply put his face in her hair.

Pulling herself away a bit, she cradled his jaw. She pulled his face down to hers and kissed him. His lips met hers fiercely as he picked her up and carried her towards their bed. Settling her there, he lifted his face as his eyes asked a silent question.

"Gaius said it would be fine," she said as she pulled his face towards hers again.

After loving her, he cradled her in his arms as the two drifted off to sleep, with dreams of a daughter with his eyes and her curls.

Merlin met the great dragon in the field. Kilgarrah looked at Merlin with great pride.

"Destiny has been restored, young warlock."

Merlin smiled at his words. Looking at the dragon, he said,

"Then it is time for my magic to be revealed."

Fin

A/N: That's it folks! I have had the best time writing this! I ended it this way just in case I ever wanted to add a sequel. This story was mainly about Gwen's life changing in order for her to become a strong wife and queen. As always, I'm a little sad to let these characters go. They've been such fun to write. Thanks for every review, story alert, author alert, and favoriting this story. It means a lot to me.


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